Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

शिखिभिः कोकिलाभिश्च गीयमानं तु षट्पदैः । मृगैरृक्षैर्वराहैश्च सिंहैर्व्याघ्रैस्तथा परैः

Transliteration

śikhibhiḥ kokilābhiśca gīyamānaṃ tu ṣaṭpadaiḥ | mṛgairṛkṣairvarāhaiśca siṃhairvyāghraistathā paraiḥ

Translation

ป่านั้นก้องกังวานด้วยเสียงนกยูงและนกกาเหว่า และราวกับถูก “ขับร้อง” โดยหมู่ภมร อีกทั้งเป็นถิ่นอาศัยของกวาง หมี หมูป่า รวมถึงสิงโตและเสือ ตลอดจนสัตว์อื่น ๆ ด้วย

Word by Word

• शिखिभिः: with peacocks
• शिखिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• कोकिलाभिः: with cuckoos
• कोकिलाभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोकिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Feminine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• गीयमानम्: being sung (of)
• गीयमानम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (Object-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गै (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि कृदन्त (शानच्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Present passive participle, Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; विशेषण

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• षट्पदैः: by bees (six-footed ones)
• षट्पदैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् (संख्या) + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (षट्+पद), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Dvigu compound, Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• मृगैः: with deer/wild animals
• मृगैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• ऋक्षैः: with bears
• ऋक्षैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• वराहैः: with boars
• वराहैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वराह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• सिंहैः: with lions
• सिंहैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• व्याघ्रैः: with tigers
• व्याघ्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: likewise)

• परैः: with others
• परैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural; विशेषण

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (continued narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahāsiddhivana (Prabhāsa-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vibrant sound-filled forest: peacocks calling from branches, cuckoos hidden in foliage; bees swarming over blossoms like a chorus; deer grazing in clearings; bears and boars near thickets; in the distance, a lion and tiger appear as majestic silhouettes—more emblematic than threatening—under the canopy.

Characters & Entities

• Śikhin (peacock)
• Kokilā (cuckoo)
• Ṣaṭpada (bee)
• Mṛga (deer)
• Ṛkṣa (bear)
• Varāha (boar)
• Siṃha (lion)
• Vyāghra (tiger)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sacred forest is portrayed as vibrant and complete—its harmony of sound and life suggests a realm naturally aligned with dharma and tapas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The forest region of Devikā/Kāmika kṣetra within Prabhāsa-kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse supplies environmental markers that elevate the kṣetra’s māhātmya.