Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 25
Devanagari script
प्रहसन्स तदा बालरूपेण कमलापतिः । उवाच मधुरां वाचं कृपालुर्बाल लीलया
Transliteration
prahasansa tadā bālarūpeṇa kamalāpatiḥ | uvāca madhurāṃ vācaṃ kṛpālurbāla līlayā
Translation
そのときカマラーパティ（ラクシュミーの主）は微笑み、幼子の姿となって現れた。慈悲深く、幼き戯れ（リーラー）のごとく、甘美なる言葉を語った。
Word by Word
prahasansmiling
prahasan:
Karta (Agent participle/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
TypeVerb
Roothas (धातु) + pra → prahasan (कृदन्त, शतृ)
Formवर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि—‘smiling/laughing’
tadāthen
tadā:
Kala (Time/काल)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottadā (अव्यय)
Formकालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)
bālarūpeṇain the form of a child
bālarūpeṇa:
Karana (Means/Manner/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootbāla + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/प्रकार (instrumental of manner/form)
kamalāpatiḥLord of Kamalā (Lakṣmī)
kamalāpatiḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootkamalā + pati (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता
uvācasaid
uvāca:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvac (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect/परोक्ष), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्
madhurāmsweet
madhurām:
Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootmadhura (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘vācām’ इति विशेषणम्
vācāmspeech/words
vācām:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootvāc (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म
kṛpāluḥcompassionate
kṛpāluḥ:
Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootkṛpālu (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘kamalāpatiḥ’ इति विशेषणम्
bālaO child
bāla:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootbāla (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; सम्बोधन
līlayāplayfully; by (his) sport
līlayā:
Karana (Means/Manner/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootlīlā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करण/हेतु (instrumental: by/with playfulness)
Speaker
Narrator (introducing Viṣṇu’s appearance and speech)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: Viṣṇu (Kamalāpati) appears as a radiant child, smiling; Brahmā, still marked by austerity, receives sweet compassionate words. The contrast between fierce tapas and gentle divine play is central.
Characters & Entities
V
Viṣṇu (Kamalāpati)L
Lakṣmī (Kamalā)FAQs
The Supreme guides creation not only with power but with compassion and līlā—making divine instruction approachable.
No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse focuses on the deity’s manifestation and mood.
None; it is a narrative transition to divine instruction.