Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

अज्ञातकुलतां तस्य पृछ्यतामयमेव च । अहिरेव अहेः पादान्वेत्ति नान्यो हिमाचल

Transliteration

ajñātakulatāṃ tasya pṛchyatāmayameva ca | ahireva aheḥ pādānvetti nānyo himācala

Translation

Que l’on n’interroge que celui-ci sur sa lignée inconnue; car seul un serpent connaît les traces d’un serpent—nul autre, ô Himācala.

Word by Word

• अज्ञातकुलताम्: (his) unknown lineage
• अज्ञातकुलताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-ज्ञात + कुलता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; समास: अज्ञात-कुलता (unknown lineage-ness)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुं; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पृच्छ्यताम्: let (it) be asked
• पृच्छ्यताम्: Kriya (Injunctive action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive imperative: let it be asked)

• अयम्: this one
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis: indeed/only)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• अहिः: the serpent
• अहिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• एव: alone/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण

• अहेः: of the serpent
• अहेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); एकवचन

• पादान्: feet/footprints
• पादान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); बहुवचन

• वेत्ति: knows
• वेत्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• अन्यः: another (person)
• अन्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• हिमाचल: O Himācala
• हिमाचल: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिम + अचल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative); एकवचन; समास: हिम-अचल (snow-mountain)

Speaker

Viṣṇu (within the narrative, advising Himālaya)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Himācala (Himālaya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu (or the speaker) delivers a pointed metaphor to Himācala: a stylized image of two serpents’ tracks in sand appears as a symbolic overlay, indicating hidden pathways only the like-minded can read.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Himālaya (Himācala)
• Śiva (implied)
• Serpent (ahi)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Divine’s origin is beyond ordinary inquiry; only one of similar nature can truly recognize the hidden reality.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is specified; the verse uses proverbial symbolism within the wedding narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It alludes to the marriage custom of verifying lineage, but redirects the inquiry due to Śiva’s transcendent status.