Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

जहास वामनान्सर्वान्भाविकार्यबलात्ततः । ब्रह्मपुत्रा वालखिल्याः सर्वे ते शंसितव्रताः

Transliteration

jahāsa vāmanānsarvānbhāvikāryabalāttataḥ | brahmaputrā vālakhilyāḥ sarve te śaṃsitavratāḥ

Translation

Alors, poussé par la force de ce qui devait advenir, il se mit à rire de tous ces sages de petite taille. Ces Vālakhilya étaient des fils de Brahmā, tous renommés pour leurs vœux hautement loués.

Word by Word

• जहास: laughed
• जहास: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (Perfect, 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada)

• वामनान्: the dwarfs
• वामनान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वामन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Plural)

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Plural)

• भावि-कार्य-बलात्: due to the force of what was to happen
• भावि-कार्य-बलात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भावि (प्रातिपदिक) + कार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Ablative, Singular); तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative chain: 'strength of future task/event')

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb)

• ब्रह्म-पुत्राः: sons of Brahmā
• ब्रह्म-पुत्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ('sons of Brahmā')

• वालखिल्याः: Vālakhilyas
• वालखिल्याः: Apposition (Samānādhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वालखिल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• शंसित-व्रताः: of praised vows / having commended vows
• शंसित-व्रताः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शंसित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural); कर्मधारय ('praised/commended vows')

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator within Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra (context)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Hari smiles/laughs subtly while facing the line of tiny Vālakhilyas; the sages remain austere yet luminous, marked by tapas; the atmosphere hints at an impending divine event beyond human expectation.

Characters & Entities

• Vālakhilya Ṛṣis
• Brahmā
• Hari (implied as subject of jahāsa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic narratives often show destiny unfolding beyond appearances; even exalted vow-keepers are drawn into divine play that serves a higher purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is character-focused (Vālakhilyas and their status) within the Mandara/Harimandira-Gaṅgā setting, rather than praising a distinct new tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vrata is referenced descriptively (their praised vows), but no new vow or procedure is prescribed.