Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 99

Devanagari script

इतिहासपुराणानि भिद्यन्ते काल गौरवात् । स्कान्दं तथा च ब्रह्माण्डं पुराणं लैङ्गमेव च

Transliteration

itihāsapurāṇāni bhidyante kāla gauravāt | skāndaṃ tathā ca brahmāṇḍaṃ purāṇaṃ laiṅgameva ca

Translation

诸《伊提哈萨》（Itihāsa）与《往世书》（Purāṇa）因岁月之重而分裂成部；故《斯甘达往世书》、 《梵卵往世书》（Brahmāṇḍa）以及《林伽往世书》（Liṅga）亦见诸不同分卷。

Word by Word

• इतिहासपुराणानि: the Itihāsas and Purāṇas
• इतिहासपुराणानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इतिहास-पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural (itihāsas and purāṇas)

• भिद्यन्ते: are divided/differ
• भिद्यन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भिद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; 3rd person plural (are divided/differ)

• काल: of time
• काल: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular used with गौरवात् (because of the weight of time)

• गौरवात्: due to the gravity/importance
• गौरवात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Ablative singular (due to/because of the gravity)

• स्कान्दम्: Skānda (Purāṇa)
• स्कान्दम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कान्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative/accusative singular (the Skānda Purāṇa)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकार-अव्यय; Adverb (likewise/also)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय; Conjunction (and)

• ब्रह्माण्डम्: Brahmāṇḍa (Purāṇa)
• ब्रह्माण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म-अण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative/accusative singular (Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa)

• पुराणम्: Purāṇa
• पुराणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative/accusative singular (Purāṇa)

• लैङ्गम्: Liṅga (Purāṇa)
• लैङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लैङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative/accusative singular (Liṅga Purāṇa)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय; Particle (indeed/just)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय; Conjunction (and)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A library-like āśrama with stacks of palm-leaf bundles labeled ‘Skānda’, ‘Brahmāṇḍa’, ‘Laiṅga’; a sage explains how time causes different divisions, while disciples compare manuscripts.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda Purāṇa
• Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa
• Liṅga Purāṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Scriptural forms may vary across time, yet their dharmic intent and sacred authority remain upheld in Purāṇic tradition.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None directly; the verse is about Purāṇic textual history within the Prabhāsa-kṣetra māhātmya narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it explains the phenomenon of divisions/recensions.