Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

तेषामनंतरं तेन बालके नाभिवादितः । दीर्घायुर्भव तेनाऽपि ब्रह्मणोक्तः स बालकः

Transliteration

teṣāmanaṃtaraṃ tena bālake nābhivāditaḥ | dīrghāyurbhava tenā'pi brahmaṇoktaḥ sa bālakaḥ

Translation

Aussitôt après, l’enfant ne se prosterna pas devant eux. Pourtant, Brahmā dit à ce même garçon : « Sois de longue vie. »

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• अनन्तरम्: immediately after
• अनन्तरम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग/कालवाचक-अव्यय (immediately/afterwards)

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karta (Agent, in passive) / Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• बालके: in/with regard to the boy
• बालके: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अभिवादितः: was saluted/greeted
• अभिवादितः: Kriyā (Passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-वाद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग

• दीर्घायुः: long-lived
• दीर्घायुः: Predicative complement (to ‘भव’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक) + आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (दीर्घं आयुः यस्य)

• भव: be (become)
• भव: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ/imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karta (Agent, in passive) / Karaṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• ब्रह्मणा: by Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणा: Karta (Agent, in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (कर्ता/करण), एकवचन

• उक्तः: was said/told
• उक्तः: Kriyā (Passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• बालकः: the boy
• बालकः: Karta (Apposition to ‘सः’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (purāṇic narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Brahmaloka (Satyaloka)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣa ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The child stands without bowing; sages look startled; Brahmā, serene, pronounces the boon 'Be long-lived,' radiating calm authority.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• bālaka (child)
• ṛṣis (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine grace can operate beyond outward formalities; the higher purpose (protection of life and truth) is fulfilled.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No earthly tīrtha is named in this verse; it occurs in Brahmā’s presence (Brahmaloka) within the Arbuda-khaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None prescribed; the key act is Brahmā’s boon: “dīrghāyur bhava” (be long-lived).