Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

जगाम बलहा तूर्णं वचनात्परमेष्ठिनः । अपश्यमानः कांचित्स्त्रीं या योग्या हंसवाहने

Transliteration

jagāma balahā tūrṇaṃ vacanātparameṣṭhinaḥ | apaśyamānaḥ kāṃcitstrīṃ yā yogyā haṃsavāhane

Translation

Auf Geheiß des Parameṣṭhin (Brahmā) eilte Balahā davon, auf der Suche nach einer Frau, die würdig wäre, im heiligen Ritus mit dem schwanentragenden Herrn (Brahmā) verbunden zu werden.

Word by Word

• jagāma: went
• jagāma: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• balahā: Balahā (name/epithet)
• balahā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: balahā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषनाम (proper name/epithet)

• tūrṇam: swiftly
• tūrṇam: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)

• vacanāt: from the command; by order
• vacanāt: Apadana (Source/Reason/अपादान-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• parameṣṭhinaḥ: of Parameṣṭhin (Brahmā)
• parameṣṭhinaḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parameṣṭhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• apaśyamānaḥ: not seeing; while searching
• apaśyamānaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √dṛś (धातु) + a (निषेध/उपसर्ग)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (Present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• kāṃcit: some
• kāṃcit: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); अनिश्चित/indefinite ('some')

• strīm: woman
• strīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• yā: who
• yā: Karta (Subject of implied 'asti'/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धवाचक (relative pronoun)

• yogyā: suitable
• yogyā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yogya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• haṃsavāhane: for/with the Swan-vehicle one (Brahmā)
• haṃsavāhane: Adhikarana (Locus/Reference/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haṃsa-vāhana (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpuruṣa: हंसः वाहनम् यस्य/हंस-वाहन = 'swan-vehicle'); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); (ब्रह्मणि/हंसवाहने = in/for the one whose vehicle is a swan)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced from Purāṇic narration style within Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa māhātmya passages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Balahā, acting on Brahmā’s command, rushes out searching for a woman suitable for the Swan-borne Lord’s sacred rite; the scene is kinetic and quest-like.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Parameṣṭhin)
• Balahā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred rites prosper when performed in proper order—right persons, right intention, and obedience to divine ordinance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, presented as a sanctified landscape where cosmic rites and divine arrangements unfold.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

An implied requirement of yajña-dharma: securing a worthy partner/śakti for the officiant so the rite may be duly completed.