Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

वासवप्रमुखाः सर्वे विस्मयं च परं ययुः । अत्रैव स्थानके चापि शूद्रोऽभूत्प्रतिवेश्मकः

Transliteration

vāsavapramukhāḥ sarve vismayaṃ ca paraṃ yayuḥ | atraiva sthānake cāpi śūdro'bhūtprativeśmakaḥ

Translation

വാസവൻ (ഇന്ദ്രൻ) മുതലായ എല്ലാ ദേവതകളും പരമ വിസ്മയത്തിലായി. അതേ സ്ഥലത്ത് അവിടെ തന്നേ ഒരു ശൂദ്രനും ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു; അയാൾ അയൽവാസിയായി താമസിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• वासवप्रमुखाः: those headed by Vāsava (Indra)
• वासवप्रमुखाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासव (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (वासवः प्रमुखः येषां ते)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• विस्मयम्: astonishment
• विस्मयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• परम्: great/supreme
• परम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ययुः: went/attained
• ययुः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (here)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (indeed/just)

• स्थानके: in this place
• स्थानके: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थानक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (also/even)

• शूद्रः: a Śūdra
• शूद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अभूत्: became/was
• अभूत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (aorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• प्रतिवेश्मकः: a neighbor (dweller in the adjacent house)
• प्रतिवेश्मकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + वेश्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + क (प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (प्रतिवेश्म = पड़ोसी-गृह/निकटगृह) + क-प्रत्यय (diminutive/agentive)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra and devas pause in astonishment above a humble neighborhood scene: a saint’s dwelling beside a simple Śūdra neighbor’s house, emphasizing proximity and the breaking of expectations.

Characters & Entities

• Vāsava (Indra)
• devatāḥ
• Śūdra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The narrative sets the stage for dharma being tested under the gaze of gods and society alike.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse does not name a tīrtha; it locates the event ‘in this very place’ within the chapter’s setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is narrative context introducing characters and the scene.