Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

स एकदा जातकलक्षणज्ञानाहूय साधून्द्विजमुख्यवृंदान् । कुतूहलेनाभिनिविष्टचेताः पप्रच्छ कन्याजनने फलानि

Transliteration

sa ekadā jātakalakṣaṇajñānāhūya sādhūndvijamukhyavṛṃdān | kutūhalenābhiniviṣṭacetāḥ papraccha kanyājanane phalāni

Translation

একদিন তিনি জাতক ও শুভলক্ষণ-বিদ্যায় পারদর্শী সদাচারী প্রধান ব্রাহ্মণদের আহ্বান করলেন; কৌতূহলে মন নিবিষ্ট করে কন্যাজন্মের ফল ও পরিণাম জিজ্ঞাসা করলেন।

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• एकदा: once
• एकदा: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एकदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of time)

• जातकलक्षणज्ञानान्: knowers of birth-omens/horoscopic marks
• जातकलक्षणज्ञानान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जातक + लक्षण + ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः (तत्पुरुष-श्रृङ्खला): ‘जातकस्य लक्षणस्य ज्ञानम्’ → ‘जातकलक्षणज्ञान’

• आहूय: having summoned
• आहूय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आह्वा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्तम् (absolutive/gerund)

• साधून्: good/holy men
• साधून्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• द्विजमुख्यवृन्दान्: groups of foremost Brahmins
• द्विजमुख्यवृन्दान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + मुख्य + वृन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (श्रृङ्खला): ‘द्विजानां मुख्याः’ + ‘वृन्द’

• कुतूहलेन: out of curiosity
• कुतूहलेन: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुतूहल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; हेतौ (instrumental of cause)

• अभिनिविष्टचेताः: with an intent/absorbed mind
• अभिनिविष्टचेताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि+नि+विश् (धातु) + चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः: ‘अभिनिविष्टं चेतः यस्य’ (whose mind is intent); ‘अभिनिविष्ट’ = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त

• पप्रच्छ: asked
• पप्रच्छ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• कन्याजनने: in (regard to) the birth of a daughter
• कन्याजनने: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या + जनन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः: ‘कन्यायाः जननम्’ (in the birth of a daughter)

• फलानि: results/benefits
• फलानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

Speaker

Unknown (narrative voice within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa; likely the main narrator)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A scholarly assembly: the king invites senior Brahmins with manuscripts/astrolabes; they sit in a semicircle, discussing auspicious marks and destiny of the newborn girl.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmins (dvija-mukhya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes thoughtful inquiry into auspiciousness and responsibility, approached through learned and virtuous counsel.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the scene is a royal consultation with learned Brahmins.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Consultation with jātaka/lakṣaṇa experts is described, implying attention to auspicious signs and dharmic planning.