Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

विष्णोर्वक्रचरित्राणां संख्या कर्तु न शक्यते । तथापि कथ्यते तुष्टैर्हृष्टैस्तैर्यदनुष्ठितम्

Transliteration

viṣṇorvakracaritrāṇāṃ saṃkhyā kartu na śakyate | tathāpi kathyate tuṣṭairhṛṣṭaistairyadanuṣṭhitam

Translation

On ne saurait compter les exploits merveilleux et subtilement rusés de Vishnu. Pourtant, on raconte ce qu’accomplirent ces êtres, comblés et transportés de joie.

Word by Word

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• वक्रचरित्राणाम्: of the wondrous/crooked deeds
• वक्रचरित्राणाम्: Sambandha (genitive dependent on saṃkhyā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + चरित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: वक्र + चरित्र (कर्मधारय: वक्रं चरित्रं), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• संख्या: count/number
• संख्या: Karta (subject of śakyate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कर्तुम्: to make/do
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (purpose complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), प्रयोजन (to do/make)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• शक्यते: is possible
• शक्यते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (is possible)

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Sambandha (manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: thus/so)

• अपि: even/though
• अपि: Sambandha (concession)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (concessive: even/also)

• कथ्यते: is narrated
• कथ्यते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (is told)

• तुष्टैः: by the satisfied (ones)
• तुष्टैः: Visheshana (of taiḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• हृष्टैः: by the delighted (ones)
• हृष्टैः: Visheshana (of taiḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karana/Agent (by them)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• यत्: which/that
• यत्: Karma/Pratipādya (that which)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• अनुष्ठितम्: was performed
• अनुष्ठितम्: Kriya (relative predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-स्था (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; कर्मणि (performed)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator within Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A narrator gestures to an assembled audience, acknowledging the countless exploits of Viṣṇu; behind them, faint vignettes of ocean-churning and Mohinī foreshadow the coming tale.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine līlā transcends human calculation; remembering it nurtures devotion and humility.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The surrounding chapter glorifies Vastrāpatha-kṣetra in Prabhāsa; this verse functions as a theological bridge within that māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it underscores the merit of hearing/reciting sacred narrative.