Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

अधुनाहं प्रवक्ष्यामि गणेशोत्पत्तिहेतुकम् । कदाचित्पार्वती गात्रोद्वर्त्तनं कृतवत्यभूत्

Transliteration

adhunāhaṃ pravakṣyāmi gaṇeśotpattihetukam | kadācitpārvatī gātrodvarttanaṃ kṛtavatyabhūt

Translation

À présent, j’exposerai la cause de la manifestation de Gaṇeśa. Un jour, Pārvatī accomplit une onction purificatrice, frottant et oignant son corps.

Word by Word

• अधुना: now
• अधुना: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधुना (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग (common), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I shall explain/tell
• प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; उपसर्ग: प्र-

• गणेशोत्पत्ति-हेतुकम्: the cause of Gaṇeśa’s birth
• गणेशोत्पत्ति-हेतुकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गणेश (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्पत्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गणेशस्य उत्पत्तेः हेतुः)

• कदाचित्: once, at some time
• कदाचित्: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• पार्वती: Pārvatī
• पार्वती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• गात्र-उद्वर्तनम्: rubbing/scrubbing of the body
• गात्र-उद्वर्तनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गात्र (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्वर्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गात्रस्य उद्वर्तनम्)

• कृतवती: having done
• कृतवती: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अभूत्: was, happened
• अभूत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; उपसर्ग: अ- (augment)

Speaker

Narrator (deduced; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in Brāhma Khaṇḍa narrative frame)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A questioning sage/audience (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pārvatī in her private chamber begins udvartana (cleansing unction), attendants nearby, soft lamp-light; the moment is intimate and preparatory, foreshadowing a miraculous birth.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇeśa
• Pārvatī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine manifestations arise for dharmic purpose; even simple acts of purity can become the seed of sacred outcomes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader setting is Dharmāraṇya (the ‘Forest of Dharma’) within the Brāhma Khaṇḍa, though this verse itself focuses on Gaṇeśa’s origin narrative rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A purity-related act is implied: udvartana (cleansing anointing/rubbing of the body), associated with preparation for bathing and ritual cleanliness.