Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

यस्मिन्पितामहो जज्ञे प्रभुरेकः प्रजापतिः । स्थाणुः सुरगुरुर्भानुः प्रचेताः परमेष्ठिनः

Transliteration

yasminpitāmaho jajñe prabhurekaḥ prajāpatiḥ | sthāṇuḥ suragururbhānuḥ pracetāḥ parameṣṭhinaḥ

Translation

ആ സൃഷ്ടിക്രമത്തിൽ പിതാമഹൻ ജനിച്ചു—ഏകനായ പ്രഭു പ്രജാപതി; അദ്ദേഹം സ്ഥാണു, സുരഗുരു, ഭാനു, പ്രചേതാഃ, പരമേഷ്ഠി എന്നീ നാമങ്ങളാൽ പ്രസിദ്ധൻ।

Word by Word

• यस्मिन्: in which
• यस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-सम्बन्धे, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (in which)

• पितामहः: the Grandfather (Brahmā)
• पितामहः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जज्ञे: was born / arose
• जज्ञे: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• प्रभुः: the lord
• प्रभुः: Karta (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एकः: one / single
• एकः: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (प्रभुः/प्रजापतिः)

• प्रजापतिः: Prajāpati
• प्रजापतिः: Karta (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्थाणुः: Sthāṇu (a deity-name)
• स्थाणुः: Karta (Apposition/list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थाणु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुरगुरुः: teacher of the gods (Bṛhaspati)
• सुरगुरुः: Karta (Apposition/list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सुराणां गुरुः)

• भानुः: the Sun
• भानुः: Karta (Apposition/list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भानु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रचेताः: Pracetas (a deity-name)
• प्रचेताः: Karta (Apposition/list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रचेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (प्रचेताः = प्रचेतस्-शब्दस्य प्रथमा एकवचन रूपम्)

• परमेष्ठिनः: Parameṣṭhins (supreme beings / a title)
• परमेष्ठिनः: Karta (Apposition/list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमेष्ठिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (plural list-ending)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic voice; listing epithets of Brahmā/Prajāpati)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā enthroned on a lotus within the cosmic expanse, surrounded by symbolic emblems of his epithets: a steady pillar (sthāṇu), a teacher’s staff (suraguru), a radiant sun-disc (bhānu), a ledger/scroll of oversight (pracetāḥ), and a supreme canopy/throne (parameṣṭhin).

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Prajāpati
• Sthāṇu
• Suraguru
• Bhānu
• Pracetas
• Parameṣṭhin

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The cosmic creator is remembered through many sacred epithets, each highlighting a divine function—steadfastness, radiance, governance, and spiritual instruction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is referenced; the verse is theological, naming Brahmā’s titles.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a descriptive identification of Brahmā’s divine names.