Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

इति विष्णोर्वचः श्रुत्वा प्रार्थयामास दानवः । ममाख्या वर्त्तते लोके तथा कुरु महीधर

Transliteration

iti viṣṇorvacaḥ śrutvā prārthayāmāsa dānavaḥ | mamākhyā varttate loke tathā kuru mahīdhara

Translation

ครั้นได้สดับพระวาจาของพระวิษณุแล้ว อสูรดานวะจึงทูลขอว่า “โอ้มหีธระ โปรดจัดให้นามของข้าดำรงอยู่และเป็นที่กล่าวขานในโลก”

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्ययम् (quotative/connector) — discourse particle

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् — Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• वचः: speech, words
• वचः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् — Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्तम् (absolutive/gerund) — having heard

• प्रार्थयामास: requested, prayed for
• प्रार्थयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अर्थ् (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग) + णिच् (प्रार्थय-)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम् — Perfect, 3rd person, Singular

• दानवः: the demon (Dānava)
• दानवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् — Genitive, Singular

• आख्या: name, fame
• आख्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् — Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• वर्तते: exists, prevails
• वर्तते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम् — Present, 3rd person, Singular, Ātmanepada

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् — Masculine, Locative, Singular

• तथा: so, thus
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb) — in that manner

• कुरु: do (it)
• कुरु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम् — Imperative, 2nd person, Singular

• महीधर: O earth-holder (Viṣṇu)
• महीधर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (महीं धरति) — Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

Narrator (within the Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The dānava, after hearing Viṣṇu, petitions for lasting renown—his name to be spoken in the world; Viṣṇu listens with composed compassion.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Dānava
• Mahīdhara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even beings of adverse nature seek lasting remembrance through association with Viṣṇu and a sanctified place, showing the Purāṇic power of tīrtha and divine sanction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader context is Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya), where divine acts and boons establish enduring sanctity and renown.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed in this verse; it sets up a boon/request that later verses connect to tīrtha-darśana and yātrā.