Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

पुलस्त्यो ब्रह्मणः पुत्रो विश्रवास्तस्य वै सुतः । रावणस्तेन संजातो दशास्यो ब्रह्मराक्षसः

Transliteration

pulastyo brahmaṇaḥ putro viśravāstasya vai sutaḥ | rāvaṇastena saṃjāto daśāsyo brahmarākṣasaḥ

Translation

Pulastya was a son of Brahmā, and his son indeed was Viśravā. From him was born Rāvaṇa—the ten-faced one—renowned as a brahma-rākṣasa.

Word by Word

• पुलस्त्यः: Pulastya
• पुलस्त्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुलस्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विश्रवाः: Viśravā
• विश्रवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्रवस्/विश्रवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तस्य: of him (Pulastya)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Prayojaka (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक-निपात (indeed)

• सुतः: son
• सुतः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रावणः: Rāvaṇa
• रावणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तेन: by him / from him
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/Agent/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• संजातः: was born/produced
• संजातः: Kriya (Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-जन् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दशास्यः: the ten-faced one
• दशास्यः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश + आस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (दश आस्यानि यस्य सः)

• ब्रह्मराक्षसः: a brahma-rākṣasa (demonic being)
• ब्रह्मराक्षसः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म + राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मणः/ब्रह्मविद्यायाः राक्षसः इति परम्परया)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Revākhaṇḍa; speaker not explicit in this verse)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Somavaṃśa-vibhūṣaṇa (lunar-dynasty prince/hero)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau: the sage narrates lineage while a symbolic vision appears—Brahmā, Pulastya, Viśravā, and the formidable ten-headed Rāvaṇa emerging as a shadowed figure, indicating ‘brahma-rākṣasa’ paradox.

Characters & Entities

• Pulastya
• Brahmā
• Viśravā
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It frames power and fame within a moral genealogy: noble origins do not guarantee dharmic conduct; lineage is secondary to righteousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it serves as narrative background within the Revā Khaṇḍa’s sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it is primarily genealogical narration.