Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

तस्मिंस्तरति कालिंदीं राजपुत्रे विधेर्वशात् । ममज्ज सह कैवतैरावर्त्ताभिहता तरी

Transliteration

tasmiṃstarati kāliṃdīṃ rājaputre vidhervaśāt | mamajja saha kaivatairāvarttābhihatā tarī

Translation

രാജകുമാരൻ കാലിന്ദി (യമുന) കടക്കുമ്പോൾ, വിധിവശാൽ ചുഴലിക്കാറ്റുപോലുള്ള ആവർത്തത്തിന്റെ അടിയേറ്റ് വള്ളം വള്ളക്കാരോടുകൂടി മുങ്ങിപ്പോയി।

Word by Word

• तस्मिन्: then/at that time
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; ‘in that (time/occasion)’

• तरति: was crossing/crosses
• तरति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• कालिन्दीम्: the Kāliṇdī (Yamunā)
• कालिन्दीम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालिन्दी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• राजपुत्रे: when the prince (was crossing)
• राजपुत्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजपुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• विधेः: of fate/ordinance
• विधेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• वशात्: due to the power/control (of)
• वशात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; कारणार्थे (cause: due to)

• ममज्ज: sank
• ममज्ज: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मज्ज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• सह: with
• सह: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, सहार्थक-उपपद (with)

• कैवतैः: boatmen
• कैवतैः: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• आवर्त-अभिहता: struck by a whirlpool
• आवर्त-अभिहता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आवर्त + अभिहत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from आ-हन्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) ‘struck’; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-भावः (आवर्तेन अभिहता)

• तरी: the boat
• तरी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (context not provided; likely Purāṇic narrator within Brāhma Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Yamunā (Kālindī)

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Midstream catastrophe: a whirlpool grips the boat; boatmen thrown off balance; the prince and companions struggle as the vessel tilts and sinks; darkened sky and churning waters convey inevitability.

Characters & Entities

• Kālindī (Yamunā)
• Prince (rājaputra)
• Boatmen (kaivata)
• Whirlpool (āvarta)
• Fate (vidhi/daiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse stresses the supremacy of daiva (destiny) over human strength and intention.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The sacred river Yamunā (Kālindī) is the setting, though no named tīrtha is specified.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative of calamity during travel.