Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

ज्येष्ठं त्वां न विदुः सर्वे विष्णुमायावृताः खिलाः । ततो ब्रह्मा स रोषेण क्रुद्धः प्रस्फुरिताननः

Transliteration

jyeṣṭhaṃ tvāṃ na viduḥ sarve viṣṇumāyāvṛtāḥ khilāḥ | tato brahmā sa roṣeṇa kruddhaḥ prasphuritānanaḥ

Translation

“ବିଷ୍ଣୁମାୟାରେ ଆବୃତ ସମସ୍ତେ ତୁମକୁ ଜ୍ୟେଷ୍ଠ (ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ) ବୋଲି ଚିହ୍ନନ୍ତି ନାହିଁ।” ତେବେ ବ୍ରହ୍ମା ରୋଷରେ କ୍ରୁଦ୍ଧ ହେଲେ; ତାଙ୍କ ମୁଖ କମ୍ପିତ ହେଲା।

Word by Word

• jyeṣṭham: the eldest/supreme
• jyeṣṭham: Karma (Object complement/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jyeṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; त्वाम्-इति विशेषण

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• viduḥ: know
• viduḥ: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• sarve: all
• sarve: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; खिलाः-इति विशेषण

• viṣṇumāyāvṛtāḥ: covered by Viṣṇu’s māyā
• viṣṇumāyāvṛtāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + māyā (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) ‘āvṛta’, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (viṣṇoḥ māyayā āvṛtāḥ)

• khilāḥ: fools / insignificant ones
• khilāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम/कालवाचक-अव्यय

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Co-referent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• roṣeṇa: with anger
• roṣeṇa: Karaṇa (Instrument/Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: roṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• kruddhaḥ: angered
• kruddhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: krudh (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ब्रह्मा-इति विशेषण

• prasphuritānanaḥ: whose face was twitching/throbbing
• prasphuritānanaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prasphurita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + ānana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (yasya ānanaṃ prasphuritam)

Speaker

Contextual: Brahmā (addressing Viṣṇu)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A declaration that all are veiled by Viṣṇu’s māyā and fail to recognize the ‘eldest’; Brahmā erupts in rage, his face visibly trembling; devas recoil in alarm.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Māyā
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When māyā veils perception, anger quickly arises; dharma requires steadiness and freedom from wrath.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya is the sacred locale framing this episode, later linked with the manifestation of a tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse narrates the escalation of a divine dispute.