Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

पंगुनामा द्विजः पूर्वं च्यवनस्यान्वयेऽभवत् । अशक्तश्चलितुं भूमौ पंगुभावान्नृपोत्तम

Transliteration

paṃgunāmā dvijaḥ pūrvaṃ cyavanasyānvaye'bhavat | aśaktaścalituṃ bhūmau paṃgubhāvānnṛpottama

Translation

O bester der Könige, einst gab es einen Brahmanen namens Paṅgu, geboren in der Linie Cyavanas; und wegen seiner Lahmheit konnte er sich auf Erden nicht fortbewegen.

Word by Word

• पंगुनामा: named Paṅgu
• पंगुनामा: विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पङ्गु (प्रातिपदिक) + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (यस्य नाम पङ्गुः = whose name is Paṅgu)

• द्विजः: a Brahmin (twice-born)
• द्विजः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: काल (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्वम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• च्यवनस्य: of Cyavana
• च्यवनस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: च्यवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• अन्वये: in the lineage
• अन्वये: अधिकरण (Location—lineage)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• अभवत्: was/became
• अभवत्: क्रिया (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अशक्तः: unable
• अशक्तः: विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-शक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies द्विजः)

• चलितुम्: to move
• चलितुम्: प्रयोजन/अनन्तरक्रिया (Purpose/Complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चल् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—तुमुन् (infinitive), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable infinitive)

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पंगुभावात्: due to lameness
• पंगुभावात्: हेतु/अपादान (Cause/Ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पङ्गु (प्रातिपदिक) + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (पङ्गोः भावः = lameness)

• नृपोत्तम: O best of kings
• नृपोत्तम: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (उत्तमः नृपः)

Speaker

Pulastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda (context-setting)

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (addressed as nṛpottama)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lame brāhmaṇa of Cyavana’s lineage stands with a staff, earth-toned garments, eyes lowered in sorrow yet resolute; the distant silhouette of Arbuda mountain foreshadows pilgrimage.

Characters & Entities

• Paṅgu
• Cyavana
• Nṛpottama (king/listener)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Physical limitation does not obstruct dharma; devotion and perseverance can turn suffering into a sacred path.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Paṅgu Tīrtha is being introduced through the life of Paṅgu, whose tapas sanctified the place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite here; it establishes the devotee’s identity and condition as background for the tīrtha’s sanctity.