Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

पप्रच्छुः किमिदं चित्रं वस्त्रमूर्धजसंभवम् । अनौपम्यं च संजातं वदस्व यदि मन्यसे

Transliteration

papracchuḥ kimidaṃ citraṃ vastramūrdhajasaṃbhavam | anaupamyaṃ ca saṃjātaṃ vadasva yadi manyase

Translation

Ils demandèrent : «Quelle est donc cette chose étonnante—des vêtements nés des cheveux ? Un prodige sans égal s’est produit. Dis-le-nous, si tu le juges convenable.»

Word by Word

• papracchuḥ: they asked
• papracchuḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√ch (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural)

• kim: what?
• kim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (singular)

• idam: this
• idam: Visheshya (Referent/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (singular)

• citram: wonderful/strange
• citram: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: citra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (singular)

• vastra-mūrdhaja-saṃbhavam: arisen from hair (head-hair) as cloth
• vastra-mūrdhaja-saṃbhavam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vastra (प्रातिपदिक) + mūrdhaja (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-तत्पुरुष: 'मूर्धजैः/मूर्धजात् सम्भवः' (arisen from hair)

• anaupamyam: incomparable
• anaupamyam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anaupamya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• saṃjātam: arisen/produced
• saṃjātam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃ√jan (धातु) → saṃjāta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• vadasva: tell (us)
• vadasva: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (singular), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada)

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (Condition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तबोधक अव्यय (conditional particle)

• manyase: you think/consider
• manyase: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (singular), आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Narrator (Brāhmaṇas speaking within the narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of brāhmaṇas, astonished, point toward an uncanny bundle of cloth seemingly sprung from hair; their faces show wonder and questioning, while the setting hints at a riverside/settlement near a dyeing area.

Characters & Entities

• brāhmaṇas
• rajaka (implied addressee)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverent inquiry into sacred wonders is encouraged; understanding the cause of a miracle strengthens faith and right conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader chapter is a Tīrthamāhātmya, but this verse does not identify the tīrtha by name.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a question requesting explanation of an extraordinary event.