Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

हिमवानुवाच । किंप्रमाणं मुने श्वभ्रं विस्तारायामतो वद । तत्प्रमाणं नगं कंचित्प्रेषयामि विचिंत्य च

Transliteration

himavānuvāca | kiṃpramāṇaṃ mune śvabhraṃ vistārāyāmato vada | tatpramāṇaṃ nagaṃ kaṃcitpreṣayāmi viciṃtya ca

Translation

Himavān dit : «Ô sage, dis-moi la mesure du gouffre — sa largeur et sa longueur. Après y avoir réfléchi, j’enverrai une montagne de cette même mesure.»

Word by Word

• हिमवान्: Himavān (the Himalaya)
• हिमवान्: Karta (Speaker/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (Speech act)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• किम्: what
• किम्: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative singular); ‘प्रमाणम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• प्रमाणम्: measure, dimension
• प्रमाणम्: Karta (Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-एकवचन (Vocative singular)

• श्वभ्रम्: the pit/chasm
• श्वभ्रम्: Viṣaya (Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वभ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative singular); ‘प्रमाणम्’ इत्यस्य विषयः

• विस्तार: by breadth/extent
• विस्तार: Karaṇa (Measure-aspect)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• आयामतः: in terms of length
• आयामतः: Adverbial (Dimension-specifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आयाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययीभूतम् (ablatival adverb): ‘आयामतः’ = ‘as to length/lengthwise’

• वद: tell
• वद: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तत्: that
• तत्: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative singular); ‘प्रमाणम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• प्रमाणम्: measure
• प्रमाणम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• नगम्: mountain
• नगम्: Karma (Object; to be sent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• कंचित्: some
• कंचित्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of नगम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (निपात)
• Form: अनिश्चित-विशेषणम्; द्वितीया-एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग (Accusative singular masculine)

• प्रेषयामि: I send
• प्रेषयामि: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• विचिन्त्य: having considered
• विचिन्त्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive): ‘having considered’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

Speaker

Himavān

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda—Śvabhra site (to be filled)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vasiṣṭha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Himavān, composed and regal, asks for the exact dimensions of the chasm; he appears as a towering figure with mountain textures, indicating thoughtful planning before action.

Characters & Entities

• Himavān
• Vasiṣṭha
• śvabhra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right action is guided by discernment and proper assessment—dharma is carried out with wisdom and precision.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse supports the Arbuda-khaṇḍa’s sacred setting by emphasizing protection of an āśrama locale.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the focus is on determining proper measures before undertaking a protective act.