Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

नारद उवाच । कथं च जायते गोत्रं कथं तु ज्ञायते कुलम् । कथं वा ज्ञायते देवी तद्वदस्व यथार्थतः

Transliteration

nārada uvāca | kathaṃ ca jāyate gotraṃ kathaṃ tu jñāyate kulam | kathaṃ vā jñāyate devī tadvadasva yathārthataḥ

Translation

ନାରଦ କହିଲେ—ଗୋତ୍ର କିପରି ଉତ୍ପନ୍ନ ହୁଏ, କୁଳ କିପରି ଜଣାଯାଏ? ଏବଂ ଦେବୀ କିପରି ପରିଚିତ ହୁଅନ୍ତି? ତାହା ସତ୍ୟ ଓ ସ୍ପଷ୍ଟଭାବେ କହନ୍ତୁ।

Word by Word

• नारदः: Narada
• नारदः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Sambandha (Interrogative/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात

• जायते: arises/is born
• जायते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• गोत्रम्: gotra/lineage
• गोत्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case; here subject of passive-like intransitive), एकवचन

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Sambandha (Interrogative/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्यय

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrast/emphasis)

• ज्ञायते: is known/ascertained
• ज्ञायते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• कुलम्: family/clan
• कुलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case; subject of passive), एकवचन

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Sambandha (Interrogative/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्यय

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात (disjunctive particle)

• ज्ञायते: is known
• ज्ञायते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• देवी: the goddess (deity)
• देवी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वदस्व: tell/say
• वदस्व: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यथार्थतः: truthfully/accurately
• यथार्थतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथार्थतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Nārada

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Svasthāna (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brahmā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nārada, holding vīṇā, respectfully questions Brahmā seated on a lotus; the background shows a forest-hermitage ambience suggesting Dharmāraṇyaka; the scene emphasizes inquiry and precise instruction.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Gotra
• Kula
• Devī (lineage deity)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A seeker should inquire into dharma with precision—understanding lineage and its sacred markers to perform rites correctly.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The discussion supports the Svasthāna/Dharmāraṇya context by clarifying how residents’ ritual identities are determined.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed here; the verse requests authoritative criteria for determining gotra, kula, and the associated deity.