Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

प्रह्लाद उवाच । तच्छ्रूयतां द्विजश्रेष्ठा यथा मूर्त्तिस्त्रिविक्रमी । दुर्वाससा समायुक्ता संभूता धरणीतले

Transliteration

prahlāda uvāca | tacchrūyatāṃ dvijaśreṣṭhā yathā mūrttistrivikramī | durvāsasā samāyuktā saṃbhūtā dharaṇītale

Translation

普罗诃罗陀说道：“噢，最上等的婆罗门啊，请听我说：三步神（Trivikrama）之圣相，偕同圣仙杜尔瓦萨（Durvāsā），如何在大地上显现。”

Word by Word

• प्रह्लादः: Prahlāda
• प्रह्लादः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्णभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — Perfect, 3rd person, Singular

• तत्: that (account)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular

• श्रूयताम्: let it be heard
• श्रूयताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, कर्मणि-प्रयोग — Imperative, 3rd person, Singular, Passive: “let it be heard”

• द्विजश्रेष्ठाः: O best of the twice-born (brāhmaṇas)
• द्विजश्रेष्ठाः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), बहुवचन — Masculine, Vocative, Plural; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: द्विजानां श्रेष्ठाः

• यथा: how / as
• यथा: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमान/प्रकारवाचक — Indeclinable (manner/comparison)

• मूर्त्तिः: form / embodiment
• मूर्त्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• त्रिविक्रमी: (as) Trivikrama-like / of Trivikrama
• त्रिविक्रमी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिविक्रमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/विशेषण), एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative, Singular; मूर्त्तेः विशेषणम्

• दुर्वाससा: by Durvāsas
• दुर्वाससा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3/करण), एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• समायुक्ता: joined/associated
• समायुक्ता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + युज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — PPP, Feminine, Nominative, Singular; मूर्त्तेः विशेषणम्

• संभूता: arisen / manifested
• संभूता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + भू (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — PPP, Feminine, Nominative, Singular; मूर्त्तेः विशेषणम्

• धरणीतले: on the surface of the earth
• धरणीतले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरणी + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7/अधिकरण), एकवचन — Neuter, Locative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: धरण्याः तलम्

Speaker

Prahlāda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvi-ja-śreṣṭhas (best brāhmaṇas) / Ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Prahlāda, serene and radiant, addresses the assembled brāhmaṇas; behind him a visionary scene begins to form: Trivikrama-mūrti emerging, with Durvāsā’s austere presence beside/within the narrative frame, indicating ‘samāyukta’ association.

Characters & Entities

• Prahlāda
• Trivikrama
• Durvāsā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Hearing sacred narration from a realized devotee (Prahlāda) is portrayed as a legitimate means to understand divine manifestations and their purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader frame is Dvārakā Māhātmya, where the manifestation accounts support Dvārakā’s sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, śravaṇa (listening to the sacred account) is encouraged; no formal rite is stated.