Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

कुबेरः कुशरीरत्वान्नाम्ना तेन च सोंकितः । तस्य भार्य्याऽभवद्वृद्धिः पुत्रस्तु नलकूबरः

Transliteration

kuberaḥ kuśarīratvānnāmnā tena ca soṃkitaḥ | tasya bhāryyā'bhavadvṛddhiḥ putrastu nalakūbaraḥ

Translation

He was marked with the name “Kubera” because of his ill-formed body. His wife was Vṛddhi, and his son was Nalakūbara.

Word by Word

• कुबेरः: Kubera
• कुबेरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुबेर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• कुशरीरत्वात्: because of having an ill/ugly body
• कुशरीरत्वात्: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Ablative source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कु-शरीर-त्व (प्रातिपदिक; कु + शरीर + त्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; हेतौ/कारणे (cause: 'because of')

• नाम्ना: by name
• नाम्ना: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• तेन: by that/therefore
• तेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• उङ्कितः: was named/marked (so-called)
• उङ्कितः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उङ्कित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √उङ्क्/अङ्क् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• भार्या: wife
• भार्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• अभवत्: became/was
• अभवत्: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वृद्धिः: Vṛddhi (name)
• वृद्धिः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

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

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषण-अव्यय (particle: contrast/emphasis)

• नलकूबरः: Nalakūbara
• नलकूबरः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नल + कूबर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A calm genealogical tableau: Kubera identified by name; beside him, his wife Vṛddhi; a child Nalakūbara shown as princely-yakṣa, suggesting future prominence despite earlier deformity motifs.

Characters & Entities

• Kubera
• Vṛddhi
• Nalakūbara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It reinforces that worldly labels may arise from superficial judgment, yet dharma recognizes roles, duties, and outcomes beyond mere appearance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The genealogical account is situated within Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya in the Skanda Purana.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is lineage and naming information.