Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

जहास वामनान्सर्वान्भाविकार्यबलात्ततः । ब्रह्मपुत्रा वालखिल्याः सर्वे ते शंसितव्रताः

Transliteration

jahāsa vāmanānsarvānbhāvikāryabalāttataḥ | brahmaputrā vālakhilyāḥ sarve te śaṃsitavratāḥ

Translation

Dann, vom Drang der kommenden Begebenheit getrieben, lachte er über all jene zwergengleichen Weisen. Jene Vālakhilyas waren Söhne Brahmās, allesamt berühmt für ihre gepriesenen Gelübde.

Word by Word

• जहास: laughed
• जहास: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (Perfect, 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada)

• वामनान्: the dwarfs
• वामनान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वामन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Plural)

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Plural)

• भावि-कार्य-बलात्: due to the force of what was to happen
• भावि-कार्य-बलात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भावि (प्रातिपदिक) + कार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Ablative, Singular); तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative chain: 'strength of future task/event')

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb)

• ब्रह्म-पुत्राः: sons of Brahmā
• ब्रह्म-पुत्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ('sons of Brahmā')

• वालखिल्याः: Vālakhilyas
• वालखिल्याः: Apposition (Samānādhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वालखिल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• शंसित-व्रताः: of praised vows / having commended vows
• शंसित-व्रताः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शंसित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural); कर्मधारय ('praised/commended vows')

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator within Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra (context)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Hari smiles/laughs subtly while facing the line of tiny Vālakhilyas; the sages remain austere yet luminous, marked by tapas; the atmosphere hints at an impending divine event beyond human expectation.

Characters & Entities

• Vālakhilya Ṛṣis
• Brahmā
• Hari (implied as subject of jahāsa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic narratives often show destiny unfolding beyond appearances; even exalted vow-keepers are drawn into divine play that serves a higher purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is character-focused (Vālakhilyas and their status) within the Mandara/Harimandira-Gaṅgā setting, rather than praising a distinct new tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vrata is referenced descriptively (their praised vows), but no new vow or procedure is prescribed.