Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

किमत्र कारणं ब्रह्मन्सर्वेभ्योऽप्यधिकं स्मृतम् । सर्वं विस्तरतो ब्रूहि परं कौतूहलं हि मे

Transliteration

kimatra kāraṇaṃ brahmansarvebhyo'pyadhikaṃ smṛtam | sarvaṃ vistarato brūhi paraṃ kautūhalaṃ hi me

Translation

ಓ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣನೇ! ಇದನ್ನು ಎಲ್ಲಕ್ಕಿಂತಲೂ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠವೆಂದು ಏಕೆ ಸ್ಮರಿಸಲಾಗುತ್ತದೆ? ನನ್ನ ಕುತೂಹಲ ಅತ್ಯಂತ—ಎಲ್ಲವನ್ನೂ ವಿವರವಾಗಿ ಹೇಳಿರಿ.

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• कारणम्: cause/reason
• कारणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahmin
• ब्रह्मन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• सर्वेभ्यः: from all / than all
• सर्वेभ्यः: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अर्थः—also/even

• अधिकम्: greater/superior
• अधिकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तुलनार्थे—‘more/superior’

• स्मृतम्: is regarded (as)
• स्मृतम्: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; अर्थः—‘is considered/remembered’

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विस्तरतः: in detail
• विस्तरतः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विस्तरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• ब्रूहि: tell (me)
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• परम्: great/utmost
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्—कौतूहलम्

• कौतूहलम्: curiosity
• कौतूहलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौतूहल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle), अर्थः—indeed/for

• मे: my/to me
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी एकवचनरूप (Genitive/Dative singular enclitic); अत्र षष्ठी—‘मम’ अर्थे

Speaker

Yayāti

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Rūpatīrtha

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brahmin narrator (addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yayāti leans forward with earnest eyes, palms joined yet questioning; the Brahmin-sage prepares to narrate the origin; scrolls or a water-pot beside him; the tirtha glows quietly in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Yayāti
• Rūpatīrtha (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharmic inquiry is valued: seekers are encouraged to ask for the causes behind a tīrtha’s greatness, not merely hear results.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Rūpatīrtha remains the subject; Yayāti asks why it is considered greater than all other tīrthas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is an invitation to a fuller kathā (detailed sacred narrative).