Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

अभिज्ञानान्मया भूप सम्प्राप्ते दीप्तकुण्डले । वाक्यार्थस्तु न विज्ञातस्ततोऽहं पुनरागतः

Transliteration

abhijñānānmayā bhūpa samprāpte dīptakuṇḍale | vākyārthastu na vijñātastato'haṃ punarāgataḥ

Translation

„O König, durch das Erkennungszeichen habe ich wahrlich die leuchtenden Ohrringe erlangt; doch den Sinn der Botschaft habe ich nicht verstanden, darum bin ich zurückgekehrt.“

Word by Word

• अभिज्ञानात्: from/through the recognition-token
• अभिज्ञानात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr̥ (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• भूप: O king
• भूप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• सम्प्राप्ते: obtained/received
• सम्प्राप्ते: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन (Dual); ‘(कुण्डले) सम्प्राप्ते’—obtained

• दीप्तकुण्डले: the shining earrings (two)
• दीप्तकुण्डले: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप्त + कुण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन (Dual); कर्मधारय—‘दीप्ते कुण्डले’

• वाक्यार्थः: the meaning of the message
• वाक्यार्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: however
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेष-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• विज्ञातः: was understood/known
• विज्ञातः: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); ‘(वाक्यार्थः) विज्ञातः’

• ततः: therefore/then
• ततः: Kārya-hetu (Consequence marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of consequence)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• आगतः: returned/came back
• आगतः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Unnamed speaker addressing King Saudāsa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa stands before the king, holding the radiant earrings as proof, yet with a questioning expression, requesting clarification of the message’s intent.

Characters & Entities

• Saudāsa (king)
• Kuṇḍala (earrings)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Outer success (obtaining the token) is incomplete without inner clarity (understanding the purpose); dharma requires comprehension, not mere action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is directly praised in this verse; it advances the Arbuda Khaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse focuses on dialogue and understanding.