Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

जानासि त्वं हि देवर्षे कुमारस्य बलाबलम् । अज्ञो भूत्वा कथं वाक्यमुक्तं तस्य ममाग्रतः

Transliteration

jānāsi tvaṃ hi devarṣe kumārasya balābalam | ajño bhūtvā kathaṃ vākyamuktaṃ tasya mamāgrataḥ

Translation

ஓ தேவर्षியே! குமாரனின் வலிமையும் அதன் எல்லையும் நீ நன்கு அறிவாய். அப்படியிருக்க, அறியாதவன் போல் நடித்து என் முன்னிலையில் அவனைப் பற்றி இவ்வாறு எவ்வாறு சொன்னாய்?

Word by Word

• जानासि: you know
• जानासि: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (singular)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग (common), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधान/हेतु-बोधक

• देवर्षे: O divine sage
• देवर्षे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (देवर्षि = देवः ऋषिः), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन

• कुमारस्य: of the Kumāra
• कुमारस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• बलाबलम्: strength and weakness
• बलाबलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल + अबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (बलं च अबलं च), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (समाहार-एकवचन)

• अज्ञः: ignorant
• अज्ञः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नाव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• वाक्यम्: a statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• उक्तम्: spoken, uttered
• उक्तम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; वाक्यम् इति विशेषण

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• मम: of me, my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• अग्रतः: in front (of me)
• अग्रतः: Adhikaraṇa (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

Speaker

Indra (deduced: addressing Nārada as devarṣi and questioning his prior speech about Kumāra)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tense divine court scene: a deity questions Nārada’s apparent ‘ignorance’ about Kumāra’s power, highlighting a strategic provocation before the coming battle.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Nārada
• Kumāra (Skanda)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the gods must act with discernment; words shape action, so counsel must be given responsibly.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra-khaṇḍa setting connects to Kedārakṣetra, but this verse itself is a dialogue about guidance and truthfulness.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.