Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । किमेतत्साहसं भीरु चिकीर्षत्यविचारितम् । ननु देवि ममाचक्ष्व किं नु ते खेदकारणम्

Transliteration

śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca | kimetatsāhasaṃ bhīru cikīrṣatyavicāritam | nanu devi mamācakṣva kiṃ nu te khedakāraṇam

Translation

Śrī Kṛṣṇa sprach: „O Furchtsame, was ist das für ein tollkühner Schritt, den du ohne Überlegung tun willst? Sage Mir, o Göttin: was ist wahrlich der Grund deines Kummers?“

Word by Word

• śrī-kṛṣṇaḥ: Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• śrī-kṛṣṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (śrīmān kṛṣṇaḥ)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• kim: what?
• kim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• etat: this
• etat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• sāhasam: rash act/violence
• sāhasam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāhasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• bhīru: O timid one
• bhīru: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhīru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• cikīrṣati: wishes to do
• cikīrṣati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ धातु) (सन्नन्त: cikīrṣ)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; सन्नन्त-धातु (desiderative)

• avicāritam: unconsidered
• avicāritam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- + vicārita (√car/√cint?; here from √car/√cār ‘to consider’ as PPP)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त; नञ्-समासपूर्वक (unconsidered)

• nanu: surely/indeed
• nanu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nanu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/appeal)

• devi: O goddess/lady
• devi: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• mama: to me/of me
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ācakṣva: tell (me)
• ācakṣva: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√cakṣ (चक्ष् धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• kim: what?
• kim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• nu: indeed/then
• nu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; interrogative/emphatic)

• te: your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• kheda-kāraṇam: cause of sorrow
• kheda-kāraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kheda (प्रातिपदिक) + kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (khedasya kāraṇam)

Speaker

Śrī Kṛṣṇa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (addressed as devi, bhīru)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śrī Kṛṣṇa, calm yet concerned, addresses a distressed Devī/śakti-figure; intimate dialogue in a palace-temple setting of Dvārakā, with sea-horizon motifs and lamp-lit interiors.

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• devī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma begins with vicāra (wise reflection) and open confession of suffering; Kṛṣṇa models compassionate inquiry that restores life and clarity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The dialogue occurs within Dvārakā-māhātmya, strengthening the remembrance of Dvārakā as a place sanctified by Kṛṣṇa’s protective compassion.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal ritual is stated; the practical prescription is to pause, reflect, and seek divine guidance rather than act in despair.