Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

वनात्कदाचिदभ्येत्य वनपालोब्रवीदिदम् । आश्चर्यं भ्रमता देव वने दृष्टं मयाधुना

Transliteration

vanātkadācidabhyetya vanapālobravīdidam | āścaryaṃ bhramatā deva vane dṛṣṭaṃ mayādhunā

Translation

ഒരു ദിവസം വനത്തിൽ നിന്ന് മടങ്ങിവന്ന് വനപാലകൻ പറഞ്ഞു— “ഹേ രാജാവേ, വനത്തിൽ സഞ്ചരിക്കുമ്പോൾ ഞാൻ ഇപ്പോൾ തന്നെ ഒരു അത്ഭുതം കണ്ടു।”

Word by Word

• वनात्: from the forest
• वनात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अपादान (source)

• कदाचित्: once, at some time
• कदाचित्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: at some time)

• अभ्येत्य: having come (approaching)
• अभ्येत्य: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अभि-इ (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया—‘having come (near)’

• वनपालः: the forest-guard
• वनपालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वनपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: वनस्य पालः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता

• अब्रवीत्: said, spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म (what was said)

• आश्चर्यम्: a wonder
• आश्चर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्चर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म/वाक्यविषय (object/topic)

• भ्रमता: by me (while) wandering
• भ्रमता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘मया’सह—कर्तृकरणभाव (by me while wandering)

• देव: O lord
• देव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; संबोधन

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण

• दृष्टम्: seen
• दृष्टम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘आश्चर्यम्’विशेषण (a wonder seen)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया, एकवचन; करण/कर्तृकरण (by me)

• अधुना: now, just now
• अधुना: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधुना (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (now/just now)

Speaker

Śiva (narrating); direct speech by the forest-guard

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A forest-guard returns from dense woodland and reports a wonder to the seated king; attendants listen, the mood is expectant.

Characters & Entities

• King Bhoja
• Forest-guard (Vanapāla)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Purāṇic sacred geography, the extraordinary appearing in nature often signals a hidden tīrtha or divine presence awaiting recognition.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse foreshadows the Vastrāpatha-kṣetra episode; the specific tīrtha context emerges as the marvel is described.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.