Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 91

Devanagari script

इमौ च बालकौ मह्यं कन्या च वरवर्णिनी । संभाव्या नैव चाख्येयमिदं भगवते त्वया

Transliteration

imau ca bālakau mahyaṃ kanyā ca varavarṇinī | saṃbhāvyā naiva cākhyeyamidaṃ bhagavate tvayā

Translation

"Kedua anak laki-laki ini, dan gadis dengan kulit yang indah ini, harus dirawat seperti anakku sendiri. Dan kamu tidak boleh mengungkapkan hal ini kepada Dewa Surya."

Word by Word

• इमौ: these two
• इमौ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• बालकौ: two boys/children
• बालकौ: Karta (Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• मह्यम्: to me
• मह्यम्: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (मह्यम्/मह्यं)

• कन्या: a girl/daughter
• कन्या: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• वरवर्णिनी: of excellent complexion
• वरवर्णिनी: Karta (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्णिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः — ‘of excellent complexion/appearance’

• संभाव्या: should be cared for/respected
• संभाव्या: Kriya (Obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + भू (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — ‘to be cared for/treated with respect’ (agreeing with कन्या)

• न: not
• न: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध)

• एव: indeed/at all
• एव: Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• आख्येयम्: to be told
• आख्येयम्: Kriya (Obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + ख्या (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — ‘to be told’ (with न…नैव)

• इदम्: this (matter)
• इदम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भगवते: to the Lord
• भगवते: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karta (Agent of obligation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Saṃjñā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Chāyā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Saṃjñā points to the two boys and the maiden, instructing Chāyā to raise them as her own and to conceal the matter from Sūrya.

Characters & Entities

• Saṃjñā
• Chāyā
• Bhagavat (Sūrya/Arka)
• Children (unnamed here)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It emphasizes guardianship (rakṣaṇa) and responsible discretion—protecting dependents while managing delicate truth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting is within the Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya’s sacred narrative environment at Prabhāsa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the focus is on ethical instruction.