Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

आनासाग्रशिखाग्राभ्यां चिरं चैवावलोकितः । ततोऽहसत्स सहसा तं मृकण्डो ह्यलक्षयत्

Transliteration

ānāsāgraśikhāgrābhyāṃ ciraṃ caivāvalokitaḥ | tato'hasatsa sahasā taṃ mṛkaṇḍo hyalakṣayat

Translation

He examined him for a long while, from the tip of the nose up to the crown of the head. Then he suddenly laughed, and Mṛkaṇḍu noticed it.

Word by Word

• आनासाग्रशिखाग्राभ्याम्: with (his) nose-tip and hair-tip
• आनासाग्रशिखाग्राभ्याम्: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आ-नासाग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + शिखाग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), द्विवचन (Dual); द्वन्द्वः (नासाग्रं च शिखाग्रं च)

• चिरम्: for a long time
• चिरम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (for a long time)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction ‘and’)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis ‘indeed/just’)

• अवलोकितः: was observed
• अवलोकितः: Kriyā (Verbal predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + लोक् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकालिक कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive sense) — ‘was looked at/observed’

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (then)

• अहसत्: laughed
• अहसत्: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘laughed’

• स: he
• स: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सहसा: suddenly
• सहसा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (suddenly)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• मृकण्डः: Mṛkaṇḍa
• मृकण्डः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृकण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) — कारण/निश्चयार्थ (indeed/for)

• अलक्षयत्: noticed
• अलक्षयत्: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘noticed/observed’

Speaker

Pulastya (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda (sectional locus) within Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa’s tīrtha network

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The brāhmaṇa carefully examines the child’s features from nose-tip to crown, then laughs suddenly; Mṛkaṇḍu watches, alarmed, sensing hidden meaning.

Characters & Entities

• Mṛkaṇḍu
• Learned brāhmaṇa (sāmudravit)
• The child

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even auspicious appearances can conceal karmic limits; discernment invites humility and spiritual urgency.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this verse; it remains within the hermitage narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.