Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

प्राज्ञत्वाद्व्यासशिष्य त्वादज्ञातं ते न किंचन । ब्रह्मा केनापराधेन सहालंबुसया वसुम्

Transliteration

prājñatvādvyāsaśiṣya tvādajñātaṃ te na kiṃcana | brahmā kenāparādhena sahālaṃbusayā vasum

Translation

Weil du weise bist und ein Schüler Vyāsas, ist dir nichts unbekannt. Wegen welcher Verfehlung verfluchte Brahmā den Vasu zusammen mit Alambuṣā?

Word by Word

• प्राज्ञत्वात्: because of (your) wisdom
• प्राज्ञत्वात्: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राज्ञत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• व्यासशिष्यत्वात्: because of being Vyāsa’s disciple
• व्यासशिष्यत्वात्: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास+शिष्यत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—व्यासस्य शिष्यत्वम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• अज्ञातम्: unknown
• अज्ञातम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participle) ‘अज्ञात’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भाववाचक—‘unknown’

• ते: to you/for you (of you)
• ते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• किंचन: anything
• किंचन: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंचन (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; अनिश्चित सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• केन: by what (offense)
• केन: Karana/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• अपराधेन: by an offense
• अपराधेन: Karana/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपराध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahartha (सहार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable)

• अलंबुसया: with Alambuṣā
• अलंबुसया: Sahartha (सहार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलंबुषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• वसुम्: Vasu
• वसुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sages (Ṛṣayaḥ) addressing Sūta

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of sages, calm and radiant, address the narrator with folded hands; manuscripts and sacrificial implements nearby; the atmosphere is contemplative, emphasizing lineage—Vyāsa’s disciple as trusted voice.

Characters & Entities

• Sages (Ṛṣayaḥ)
• Sūta
• Vyāsa
• Brahmā
• Vasu (Vidhūma)
• Alambuṣā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic teaching proceeds through inquiry and lineage-based authority, emphasizing careful hearing and questioning to grasp dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Cakratīrtha remains the narrative frame, though this verse focuses on the backstory of the curse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a question requesting the ethical cause (aparādha) behind the curse.