Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

व्याघ्र उवाच । ब्रूहि ताञ्छपथान्भद्रे समागच्छसि यैः पुनः । ततोऽहं प्रत्ययं गत्वा मोचयिष्यामि वा न वा

Transliteration

vyāghra uvāca | brūhi tāñchapathānbhadre samāgacchasi yaiḥ punaḥ | tato'haṃ pratyayaṃ gatvā mocayiṣyāmi vā na vā

Translation

ବ୍ୟାଘ୍ର କହିଲା—ହେ ଭଦ୍ରେ, ଯେଉଁ ଶପଥଦ୍ୱାରା ତୁମେ ପୁଣି ଆସିବ, ସେ ଶପଥଗୁଡ଼ିକ କହ। ତାପରେ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ପାଇ ମୁଁ ଛାଡ଼ିବି କି ନାହିଁ ନିଷ୍ପତ୍ତି କରିବି।

Word by Word

• व्याघ्रः: the tiger
• व्याघ्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ब्रूहि: tell
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (शपथान् इति)

• शपथान्: oaths
• शपथान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शपथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन

• भद्रे: O good one / dear
• भद्रे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; संबोधन (प्रियसम्बोधन)

• समागच्छसि: you come back
• समागच्छसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+आ√गम् (गम् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यैः: by which
• यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय (adverb)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/क्रमसूचक अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'then/from that')

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रत्ययम्: assurance, verification
• प्रत्ययम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रत्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having gone)

• मोचयिष्यामि: I will release
• मोचयिष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मुच् (धातु) (णिच् causative: मोचय)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच् (causative)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पसूचक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

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

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पसूचक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

Speaker

Vyāghra (Tiger)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The tiger leans forward, demanding the exact oaths; Kapilā stands steady, ready to enumerate them. The composition emphasizes dialogue—two figures facing, with a visual ‘space’ of decision between them.

Characters & Entities

• Vyāghra
• Kapilā (cow)
• śapatha (oath)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is examined through accountability: vows must be articulated and accepted as binding, creating moral certainty (pratyaya).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is named in this verse; it functions as part of the Arbuda narrative in Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse requests the declaration of oaths; it is an ethical mechanism rather than a ritual injunction.