Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । मत्स्यकूर्मादिरूपैश्च भगवाञ्ज्ञायते मया । विष्णोः पारमिकां मूर्तिं न जानामि द्विजोत्तमाः

Transliteration

brahmovāca | matsyakūrmādirūpaiśca bhagavāñjñāyate mayā | viṣṇoḥ pāramikāṃ mūrtiṃ na jānāmi dvijottamāḥ

Translation

Brahmā sprach: „An Gestalten wie dem Fisch (Matsya) und der Schildkröte (Kūrma) erkenne ich den seligen Herrn. Doch, o Beste der Zweimalgeborenen, die höchste, transzendente Gestalt Viṣṇus kenne ich nicht.“

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Speaker/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• मत्स्य-कूर्म-आदि-रूपैः: by forms such as Fish and Tortoise
• मत्स्य-कूर्म-आदि-रूपैः: Karana (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य (प्रातिपदिक) + कूर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); समासार्थ: मत्स्यकूर्मादीनि रूपाणि

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

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ज्ञायते: is known/recognized
• ज्ञायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive voice)

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

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• पारमिकाम्: supreme, transcendent
• पारमिकाम्: Karma (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पारमिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying मूर्तिम्)

• मूर्तिम्: form
• मूर्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• जानामि: I know
• जानामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular)

• द्विज-उत्तमाः: O best of the twice-born
• द्विज-उत्तमाः: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा-बहुवचन (Vocative/Nominative plural; here vocative by sense); कर्मधारय: उत्तमा द्विजाः

Speaker

Brahmā

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (frame; not explicit)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā, four-faced, speaks to assembled sages: behind him appear faint, symbolic silhouettes of Matsya and Kūrma, while a radiant, formless halo indicates the unknown ‘pāramikā mūrti’.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Matsya
• Kūrma
• Dvijāḥ (sages/brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even exalted beings may know the Lord through manifestations (avatāras), yet the supreme reality can remain beyond ordinary comprehension—inviting humility and deeper inquiry.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within Dvārakā-māhātmya (the glory of Dvārakā), though this particular line emphasizes theology rather than describing a tirtha rite.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is stated here; it is a doctrinal admission and a prompt for further guidance.