Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

षड्विंशतिसहस्राणामृषीणां भावितात्मनाम् । तेषां शिष्यप्रशिष्याणां संख्या कर्तुं न शक्यते

Transliteration

ṣaḍviṃśatisahasrāṇāmṛṣīṇāṃ bhāvitātmanām | teṣāṃ śiṣyapraśiṣyāṇāṃ saṃkhyā kartuṃ na śakyate

Translation

ആത്മസാധനയാൽ ഭാവിതരായ ഇരുപത്താറായിരം ഋഷിമാരുടെ ശിഷ്യ-പ്രശിഷ്യരുടെ എണ്ണം എണ്ണിക്കൂട്ടാൻ കഴിയില്ലായിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• षड्विंशतिसहस्राणाम्: of twenty-six thousand
• षड्विंशतिसहस्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षड्विंशति (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Neuter, genitive plural; ‘of (the) twenty-six thousands’

• ऋषीणाम्: of sages
• ऋषीणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, genitive plural

• भावितात्मनाम्: of those whose selves are disciplined/meditated
• भावितात्मनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भावित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; भू (धातु) + क्त) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, genitive plural; adjective of ऋषीणाम्

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Genitive plural pronoun

• शिष्यप्रशिष्याणाम्: of (their) disciples and grand-disciples
• शिष्यप्रशिष्याणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रशिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, genitive plural

• संख्या: the number, counting
• संख्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, nominative singular

• कर्तुम्: to make, to do (to count)
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (infinitive) — Infinitive ‘to do/make’

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• शक्यते: is possible
• शक्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive) — Present indicative, 3rd singular, passive

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Naimiṣāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panoramic view of an immense rishi-assembly—rows of ascetics with deer-skins and matted hair—extending beyond the frame, suggesting innumerability; disciples and grand-disciples clustered around elders.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣis (sages)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred knowledge is upheld through vast lineages of disciplined sages and their teaching traditions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse emphasizes the Naimiṣāraṇya assembly (context), preparing for Setu’s glorification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it highlights the magnitude of the spiritual community and lineage.