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Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 15

किं न वेत्ति प्रमाणं मे बलिस्तव पिता सुत । बलेरपि हितार्थाय कृतमेतत्पदत्रयम्

kiṃ na vetti pramāṇaṃ me balistava pitā suta | balerapi hitārthāya kṛtametatpadatrayam

Ô mon fils, Bali—ton père—ne connaît-il donc pas ma véritable mesure ? Cet acte des « trois pas » fut accompli aussi pour le bien même de Bali.

kimwhat? why?
kim:
Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
TypeNoun
Rootkim (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम (interrogative pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'किम्' = what/why
nanot
na:
Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)
vettiknows
vetti:
Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvid (विद् धातु)
Formलट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
pramāṇamproof, authority, measure
pramāṇam:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootpramāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन
memy
me:
Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/genitive) एकवचन (enclitic); 'मे' = my/of me
baliḥBali
baliḥ:
Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootbali (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन
tavayour
tava:
Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Roottvad (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन
pitāfather
pitā:
Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootpitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन
sutaO son
suta:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootsuta (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन
baleḥof Bali
baleḥ:
Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootbali (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन; 'बलेः' = of Bali
apialso, even
api:
Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (particle): 'अपि' = also/even
hitārthāyafor (his) welfare
hitārthāya:
Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
TypeNoun
Roothita (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/dative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/उद्देश्य): 'हितस्य अर्थः' = for the benefit/purpose
kṛtamdone, made
kṛtam:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa / Predicative (Predicate participle/विधेय)
TypeVerb
Rootkṛ (कृ धातु) → kṛta (कृदन्त)
Formकृदन्त (भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त/past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'कृतम्' = done/made
etatthis
etat:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootetad (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम-विशेषण (demonstrative used adjectivally), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies 'padatrayam'
pada-trayamthree steps
pada-trayam:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootpada (प्रातिपदिक) + traya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास: three steps

Janārdana / Trivikrama (Viṣṇu)

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha

Type: kshetra

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (frame implied)

Scene: Janārdana asserts: Bali knows my true measure; the three steps were done for Bali’s welfare. The scene blends firmness with compassion—divine authority tempered by benevolent intent.

B
Bali
B
Bāṇa
T
Trivikrama (implied)

FAQs

Divine correction can be compassion: what appears as loss may be ordained for the devotee’s long-term good.

The teaching is situated in the Vastrāpathakṣetra-māhātmya of Prabhāsa, linking sacred place-tradition with enduring dharma.

No explicit rite; the verse interprets a famed dāna/yajña episode as welfare-oriented divine governance.