Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

इदं पुराणमायुष्यं चतुर्वर्णसुखप्रदम् । निर्मितं षण्मुखेनेह नियतं सुमहात्मना

Transliteration

idaṃ purāṇamāyuṣyaṃ caturvarṇasukhapradam | nirmitaṃ ṣaṇmukheneha niyataṃ sumahātmanā

Translation

Ang Purāṇa na ito’y nagbibigay ng mahabang buhay at nagkakaloob ng kaginhawahan sa apat na varṇa. Dito ito’y nilikha at itinindig nang wasto ng Dakilang May Anim na Mukha (Ṣaṇmukha).

Word by Word

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (पुराणम् इति)

• पुराणम्: Purāṇa
• पुराणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आयुष्यम्: life-promoting, conducive to longevity
• आयुष्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āyuṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (पुराणम् इति)

• चतुर्वर्णसुखप्रदम्: bestowing happiness to the four varṇas
• चतुर्वर्णसुखप्रदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur + varṇa + sukha + prada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (चतुर्णां वर्णानां सुखं प्रददाति इति)

• निर्मितम्: made, composed
• निर्मितम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-मा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (पुराणम् इति) विशेषण

• षण्मुखेन: by the Six-faced one (Skanda)
• षण्मुखेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaṇ + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (षण्मुखः = षण्मुखो यस्य सः, Skanda)

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: here/in this world)

• नियतम्: regulated, established
• नियतम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-यम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (पुराणम् इति) विशेषण

• सुमहात्मना: by the very great-souled one
• सुमहात्मना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su + mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (सुः महात्मा)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Audience within Dvārakāmāhātmya frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ṣaṇmukha/Skanda as a radiant six-faced deity presenting or consecrating a manuscript of the Skanda Purāṇa, with representatives of four varṇas respectfully receiving blessings; backdrop hints of coastal Dvārakā temples.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Ṣaṇmukha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma is presented as universally beneficial—supporting worldly well-being and spiritual order when received with reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not directly; the verse praises the Purāṇa’s power within the Dvārakā-māhātmya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed; it is a statement of the text’s benefits.