Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

प्रह्लाद उवाच । निशम्य नारदेनोक्तं प्रहृष्टाश्च तथा द्विजाः । क्षेत्राणि सर्वतीर्थानि पुरस्कृत्य च गौतमम्

Transliteration

prahlāda uvāca | niśamya nāradenoktaṃ prahṛṣṭāśca tathā dvijāḥ | kṣetrāṇi sarvatīrthāni puraskṛtya ca gautamam

Translation

普罗诃罗陀说道：听闻那罗陀所言，诸婆罗门（dvija）亦皆欢喜。众人推举一切圣域（kṣetra）与圣渡（tīrtha）为先，并尊奉乔达摩为领袖，于是启程前行。

Word by Word

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

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• निशम्य: having heard
• निशम्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शम् (धातु) + नि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), 'having heard/listened'

• नारदेन: by Nārada
• नारदेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• उक्तम्: (what was) said
• उक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे 'said'

• प्रहृष्टाः: delighted
• प्रहृष्टाः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + हृष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक-अव्यय (thus/likewise)

• द्विजाः: Brahmins (twice-born)
• द्विजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• क्षेत्राणि: sacred places (kṣetras)
• क्षेत्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सर्वतीर्थानि: all pilgrimage-places
• सर्वतीर्थानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); कर्मधारय (सर्वाणि तीर्थानि)

• पुरस्कृत्य: having put foremost / having honored
• पुरस्कृत्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + पुरस् (उपसर्ग/उपपद)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), 'having placed in front/having honored'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• गौतमम्: Gautama
• गौतमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौतम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Prahlāda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā (as destination)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Prahlāda speaks; Nārada’s prior words echo in the assembly. Brāhmaṇas glow with delight. Personified kṣetras and tīrthas stand in ceremonial order, while Ṛṣi Gautama is honored as the leader at the head of the pilgrimage.

Characters & Entities

• Prahlāda
• Nārada
• Dvivja (Brāhmaṇas)
• Gautama
• Kṣetra
• Tīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Hearing sacred instruction (śravaṇa) should mature into action—pilgrimage, reverence to sages, and collective pursuit of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate narrative is moving toward Dvārakā; the verse also speaks broadly of all kṣetras and tīrthas being honored.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No fixed rite; it emphasizes honoring (puraskṛtya) the sage Gautama and undertaking tīrtha-yātrā.