Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

क्षेत्राणामादिक्षेत्रं तु वैष्णवं तद्विदुर्बुधाः । तिस्रः कोट्यर्द्धकोटिश्च तीर्थानां प्रवराणि च

Transliteration

kṣetrāṇāmādikṣetraṃ tu vaiṣṇavaṃ tadvidurbudhāḥ | tisraḥ koṭyarddhakoṭiśca tīrthānāṃ pravarāṇi ca

Translation

บัณฑิตทั้งหลายรู้ว่าเขตไวษณวะนี้เป็น “อาทิกษेत्र” อันเป็นปฐมแห่งกษेत्रทั้งปวง ที่นี่มีทีรถะอันประเสริฐ—สามโกฏิ และอีกครึ่งโกฏิ—สถิตอยู่

Word by Word

• क्षेत्राणाम्: of (all) sacred fields
• क्षेत्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• आदिक्षेत्रम्: the primordial sacred field
• आदिक्षेत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि + क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (आदि-क्षेत्र = “prime/original kṣetra”); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis/contrast)

• वैष्णवम्: Vaiṣṇava, pertaining to Viṣṇu
• वैष्णवम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with आदिक्षेत्रम्)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन (object of विदुः)

• विदुः: know
• विदुः: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect); प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• बुधाः: the wise
• बुधाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तिस्रः: three
• तिस्रः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषण; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन (agreeing with कोट्यः understood)

• कोटि: a crore
• कोटि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन (used as numeral unit; coordinated with अर्द्धकोटिः)

• अर्द्धकोटिः: half a crore
• अर्द्धकोटिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्द्ध + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अर्द्ध-कोटि = “half-crore”); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• तीर्थानाम्: of pilgrimage-places
• तीर्थानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• प्रवराणि: excellent, foremost
• प्रवराणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन (agreeing with (तीर्थाणि) implied)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A visionary map-like tableau of Prabhāsa-kṣetra radiating as the ‘first kṣetra’, with countless tīrtha-emblems (ghāṭas, kuṇḍas, liṅgas, cakras) orbiting it like stars; sages gesture in affirmation.

Characters & Entities

• Vaiṣṇava kṣetra
• Tīrthas
• Prabhāsa-kṣetra (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Prabhāsa is portrayed as a supreme pilgrimage hub—an archetypal kṣetra where countless sacred crossings converge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Vaiṣṇava Ādikṣetra within Prabhāsa-kṣetra, presented as containing innumerable foremost tīrthas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; it functions as a proclamation of the place’s unmatched tīrtha-density and merit.