Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

यथा वयं त्वया सार्द्धमसत्या न चतुर्मुख । भवामोऽस्य कृते देव तथा किंचिद्विधीयताम्

Transliteration

yathā vayaṃ tvayā sārddhamasatyā na caturmukha | bhavāmo'sya kṛte deva tathā kiṃcidvidhīyatām

Translation

ഹേ ചതുര്മുഖാ, ഹേ ദേവാ! ഈ ബാലന്റെ കാരണത്താൽ ഞങ്ങൾ നിങ്ങളോടൊപ്പം അസത്യവക്താക്കളാകാതിരിക്കുവാൻ എന്തെങ്കിലും വിധിക്കണമേ.

Word by Word

• yathā: as
• yathā: Sambandha (Comparative connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; यथार्थे/उपमायाम् (as/just as)

• vayam: we
• vayam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Nominative plural: we)

• tvayā: with you
• tvayā: Sahakāraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (युष्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental singular: with/by you)

• sārddham: together
• sārddham: Sahakāraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sārddham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (with/together)

• asatyāḥ: untruthful
• asatyāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of ‘vayam’/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: asatya (असत्य प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Nominative plural: untruthful)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• caturmukha: O four-faced (Brahmā)
• caturmukha: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur (चतुर्) + mukha (मुख)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि समास; पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन (Vocative singular: O four-faced one)

• bhavāmaḥ: we are/become
• bhavāmaḥ: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: लट् (present); उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन (1st person plural)

• asya: of him
• asya: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive singular: of him)

• kṛte: for the sake (of)
• kṛte: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṛta (कृत प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृते इति सप्तमी-एकवचनरूपेण प्रयुक्तम्; हेत्वर्थे अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग (for the sake of; lit. in the matter of)

• deva: O god
• deva: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (देव प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन (Vocative singular)

• tathā: thus/so
• tathā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तथार्थे (so/thus)

• kiṃcit: something
• kiṃcit: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (किम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular: something)

• vidhīyatām: let (it) be arranged/done
• vidhīyatām: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhā (धा धातु) + वि उपसर्ग; (विधीयते)
• Form: लोट् (imperative/benedictive sense); कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (let it be done/arranged)

Speaker

Ṛṣis (Saptarṣis) addressing Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-kṣetra (episode locus)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brahmā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sages, palms joined, address Brahmā with urgency: ‘Arrange something so our words do not become untrue for this boy.’ Brahmā listens, poised to act.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Caturmukha)
• bālaka (child, implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Truthfulness is non-negotiable in dharma; even celestial authorities are invoked to ensure truth is upheld.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is praised in this verse; it is a theological appeal within the Arbuda-khaṇḍa storyline.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a supplication requesting a divine arrangement (vidhi) to avert falsehood.