Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

कस्य त्वमसि वामोरु किं वनेऽस्मिंश्चिकीर्षसि । इच्छावस्त्वां च विज्ञातुं तत्त्वमाख्याहि शोभने

Transliteration

kasya tvamasi vāmoru kiṃ vane'smiṃścikīrṣasi | icchāvastvāṃ ca vijñātuṃ tattvamākhyāhi śobhane

Translation

«Wessen bist du, o Frau mit schönen Schenkeln, und was beabsichtigst du in diesem Wald? Wir wünschen dich zu erkennen—verkünde die Wahrheit, o Schöne.»

Word by Word

• kasya: of whom
• kasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति; मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम

• asi: are
• asi: Kriya (Copula)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• vāma-ūru: O fair-thighed one
• vāma-ūru: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāma (प्रातिपदिक) + ūru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: वामौ ऊरू यस्याः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• kim: what
• kim: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• vane: in the forest
• vane: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• asmin: in this
• asmin: Adhikarana (Location; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; निर्देशक (demonstrative)

• cikīrṣasi: wish to do
• cikīrṣasi: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; देशिदेरिवेटिव-इच्छार्थक (desiderative)

• icchāvaḥ: we desire
• icchāvaḥ: Karta (Subject; ‘we wish’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: icchā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; (वाक्ये) ‘इच्छा’ इति भाववाचक-कर्तृस्थाने

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, द्वितीया-विभक्ति

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• vijñātum: to know
• vijñātum: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vi-jñā (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive)

• tattvam: the truth/reality
• tattvam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ākhyāhi: tell/declare
• ākhyāhi: Kriya (Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-khyā (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• śobhane: O beautiful one
• śobhane: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śobhanā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Aśvinau (the two Aśvins)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In a forest near the sacred Prabhāsa region, two divine youths (Aśvin twins) address a veiled, radiant woman, questioning her identity and purpose; the mood is poised and inquisitive.

Characters & Entities

• Aśvinau
• Sukanyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse introduces inquiry and temptation as narrative tools to reveal steadfastness and truthfulness in dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra in the broader Cyavana–Sukanyā episode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.