Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

तस्याद्यं भारतं वर्षं तच्चापि नवधा स्मृतम् । नवयोजनसाहस्रं दक्षिणोत्तरमानतः

Transliteration

tasyādyaṃ bhārataṃ varṣaṃ taccāpi navadhā smṛtam | navayojanasāhasraṃ dakṣiṇottaramānataḥ

Translation

ان میں سب سے برتر بھارت ورش ہے؛ وہ بھی نو حصوں والا یاد کیا گیا ہے۔ جنوب سے شمال تک اس کی پیمائش نو ہزار یوجن ہے۔

Word by Word

• tasya: of that
• tasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन — Genitive singular “of that (Jambūdvīpa)”

• ādyam: first
• ādyam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ādya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन — adjective qualifying भारतं वर्षम्

• bhāratam: Bhārata
• bhāratam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhārata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन — adjective qualifying वर्षम्

• varṣam: region (varṣa)
• varṣam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन — “region/varṣa”

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन — demonstrative pronoun referring to भारतवर्षम्

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय — “and/also”

• api: also
• api: Emphasis/Addition (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (समुच्चय/अपि-कार) — “also/even”

• navadhā: into nine parts
• navadhā: Manner (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nava (प्रातिपदिक) + dhā (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — “in nine ways”

• smṛtam: is known
• smṛtam: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √smṛ (धातु) → smṛta (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन — past passive participle: “is known/considered”

• nava-yojana-sāhasram: nine thousand yojanas
• nava-yojana-sāhasram: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nava (प्रातिपदिक) + yojana (प्रातिपदिक) + sāhasra (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन — numeral compound used adjectivally: “nine-thousand yojanas”

• dakṣiṇa-uttara-mānataḥ: in north–south measure/extent
• dakṣiṇa-uttara-mānataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (Scope/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + uttara (प्रातिपदिक) + māna (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमासः; अव्यय (तसिल्/तस्-प्रत्ययान्त) — “with respect to measure from south to north”

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A divine narration highlights Bhārata-varṣa as foremost and describes its ninefold division and north–south measure; a map-like visualization overlays sacred symbolism (rivers, mountains, kṣetras).

Characters & Entities

• Bhārata-varṣa
• Jambūdvīpa
• Yojana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Bhārata is presented as a uniquely significant sacred region, a stage where dharma, karma, and liberation-oriented life are meaningfully pursued.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not a single tīrtha is named in this verse; the broader chapter supports the sanctity of Bhārata as the context for eminent kṣetras such as Prabhāsa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it provides a traditional measure and classification of Bhārata-varṣa.