Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

अहो सुमहदाश्चर्यमिदं दृष्टं मयाधुना । अच्छिन्ननाभिसूत्रोऽयं शिशुर्माता क्व वा गता

Transliteration

aho sumahadāścaryamidaṃ dṛṣṭaṃ mayādhunā | acchinnanābhisūtro'yaṃ śiśurmātā kva vā gatā

Translation

„O welch überaus großes Wunder habe ich soeben gesehen! Diesem Säugling ist die Nabelschnur noch nicht durchtrennt. Wohin ist die Mutter denn gegangen?“

Word by Word

• अहो: oh! alas!
• अहो: Sambodhana/Exclamation (सम्बोधन/विस्मय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहो (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विस्मयादिबोधक-निपात (interjection/particle of exclamation)

• सु-महत्-आश्चर्यम्: a very great wonder
• सु-महत्-आश्चर्यम्: Karma/Predicative object (कर्म/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्चर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषणपूर्वकं नाम (very-great wonder)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (this)

• दृष्टम्: seen
• दृष्टम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थक (seen)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr̥ (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया (3rd case/instrumental), एकवचन

• अधुना: now
• अधुना: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधुना (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• अ-च्छिन्न-नाभि-सूत्रः: with the navel-cord uncut
• अ-च्छिन्न-नाभि-सूत्रः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्) + छिन्न (कृदन्त, क्त; √छिद्) + नाभि (प्रातिपदिक) + सूत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वक-तत्पुरुषः (uncut umbilical-cord)

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शिशुः: infant
• शिशुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• माता: mother
• माता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• क्व: where?
• क्व: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb of place)

• वा: or/indeed
• वा: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• गता: has gone
• गता: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (she) has gone

Speaker

Vipravanitā (a brāhmaṇa lady), inferred from nearby verses

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa lady discovers a newborn lying alone, umbilical cord uncut; her face shows astonishment and concern as she looks around for the mother.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma begins with compassionate attention to suffering; neglecting the helpless is adharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it is narrative dharma within the Brahmottarakhaṇḍa context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse sets up a dharmic decision about protection and care.