Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

एतत्सर्वमशेषेण स दृष्ट्वा बल्लवीसुतः । कुतूहलेन विदधे शिवपूजां विरक्तिदाम्

Transliteration

etatsarvamaśeṣeṇa sa dṛṣṭvā ballavīsutaḥ | kutūhalena vidadhe śivapūjāṃ viraktidām

Translation

Tras ver todo esto por completo, el hijo de la vaquera, movido por la curiosidad, emprendió la adoración de Śiva, dador del desapego.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अशेषेण: entirely
• अशेषेण: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (instrumental used adverbially: completely)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• बल्लवीसुतः: the cowherd-woman’s son
• बल्लवीसुतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ballavī + suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (बल्लव्याः सुतः)

• कुतूहलेन: out of curiosity
• कुतूहलेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kutūhala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विदधे: performed/undertook
• विदधे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√dhā (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• शिवपूजाम्: Śiva-worship
• शिवपूजाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva + pūjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (शिवस्य पूजाम्)

• विरक्तिदाम्: granting detachment
• विरक्तिदाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: virakti + dā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (विरक्तिं ददाति इति)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator, unspecified in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A young cowherd boy, having observed the grand worship, looks inspired and begins arranging his own simple Śiva-pūjā with earnest concentration.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Ballavī (cowherdess)
• Ballavī-suta (her son)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva-pūjā is praised not merely for worldly gain but as a means that grants virakti (dispassion) and inner turning toward dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned; the verse glorifies Śiva worship itself as spiritually elevating.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The act prescribed is Śiva-pūjā (worship of Śiva), motivated here by kutoohala that matures into devotion.