Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

अहो सुमहदाश्चर्यमिदं दृष्टं मयाधुना । अच्छिन्ननाभिसूत्रोऽयं शिशुर्माता क्व वा गता

Transliteration

aho sumahadāścaryamidaṃ dṛṣṭaṃ mayādhunā | acchinnanābhisūtro'yaṃ śiśurmātā kva vā gatā

Translation

«Ah ! Quel prodige immense ai-je vu à l’instant ! Cet enfant a encore le cordon ombilical intact. Où donc la mère est-elle partie ?»

Word by Word

• अहो: oh! alas!
• अहो: Sambodhana/Exclamation (सम्बोधन/विस्मय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहो (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विस्मयादिबोधक-निपात (interjection/particle of exclamation)

• सु-महत्-आश्चर्यम्: a very great wonder
• सु-महत्-आश्चर्यम्: Karma/Predicative object (कर्म/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्चर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषणपूर्वकं नाम (very-great wonder)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (this)

• दृष्टम्: seen
• दृष्टम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थक (seen)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr̥ (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया (3rd case/instrumental), एकवचन

• अधुना: now
• अधुना: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधुना (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• अ-च्छिन्न-नाभि-सूत्रः: with the navel-cord uncut
• अ-च्छिन्न-नाभि-सूत्रः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्) + छिन्न (कृदन्त, क्त; √छिद्) + नाभि (प्रातिपदिक) + सूत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वक-तत्पुरुषः (uncut umbilical-cord)

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शिशुः: infant
• शिशुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• माता: mother
• माता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• क्व: where?
• क्व: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb of place)

• वा: or/indeed
• वा: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• गता: has gone
• गता: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (she) has gone

Speaker

Vipravanitā (a brāhmaṇa lady), inferred from nearby verses

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa lady discovers a newborn lying alone, umbilical cord uncut; her face shows astonishment and concern as she looks around for the mother.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma begins with compassionate attention to suffering; neglecting the helpless is adharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it is narrative dharma within the Brahmottarakhaṇḍa context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse sets up a dharmic decision about protection and care.