Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

विधूमनामा हि वसुर्देवस्त्री चाप्यलंबुषा । ब्रह्मशापान्महाघोरात्पुरा प्राप्तौ मनुष्यताम्

Transliteration

vidhūmanāmā hi vasurdevastrī cāpyalaṃbuṣā | brahmaśāpānmahāghorātpurā prāptau manuṣyatām

Translation

Wahrlich, ein Vasu namens Vidhūma und seine göttliche Gemahlin Alambuṣā erlangten einst durch Brahmās überaus schrecklichen Fluch den menschlichen Stand.

Word by Word

• विधूमनामा: Vidhūmanāmā (a person named Vidhūmanāmā)
• विधूमनामा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधूमनामा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषनाम (proper noun)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अर्थे—खलु/नूनम् (indeed)

• वसुः: Vasu
• वसुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• देवस्त्री: a divine woman
• देवस्त्री: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवस्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—देवस्य स्त्री (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अर्थे—अपि/also

• अलंबुषा: Alambuṣā
• अलंबुषा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलंबुषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषनाम (proper noun)

• ब्रह्मशापात्: from Brahmā’s curse
• ब्रह्मशापात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मशाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—ब्रह्मणः शापः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• महाघोरात्: from the very terrible (curse)
• महाघोरात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाघोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—महान् चासौ घोरः (कर्मधारय)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Adverbial (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• प्राप्तौ: (the two) attained
• प्राप्तौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्राप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participle) ‘प्राप्त’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे—‘having attained/they attained’ (used predicatively)

• मनुष्यताम्: human state/condition
• मनुष्यताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्यता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A celestial Vasu and the apsaras Alambuṣā, haloed yet sorrowful, stand at the threshold of human birth under the shadow of Brahmā’s decree; cosmic courtroom atmosphere with Brahmā as arbiter.

Characters & Entities

• Vidhūma
• Vasu
• Alambuṣā
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even divine beings are bound by moral order; transgression can lead to downfall, while dharmic remedies exist through sacred places and penance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Cakratīrtha is the context for the narrative, though this verse introduces the cursed beings.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it sets up the cause (Brahmā’s curse) that will be resolved through tīrtha merit.