Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मण उवाच । शिखण्डी नाम राजास्ति कन्यकुब्जे प्रतापवान् । अपुत्रोऽसौ महीपालः कन्या जाता मनोरथैः

Transliteration

brāhmaṇa uvāca | śikhaṇḍī nāma rājāsti kanyakubje pratāpavān | aputro'sau mahīpālaḥ kanyā jātā manorathaiḥ

Translation

బ్రాహ్మణుడు పలికెను—కాన్యకుబ్జలో శిఖండీ అనే ప్రతాపవంతుడైన రాజు ఉన్నాడు. ఆ భూపతి పుత్రహీనుడైనా, తన మనోరథం ప్రకారం ఒక కుమార్తె జన్మించింది.

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणः: the Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमाविभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

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

• शिखण्डी: Śikhaṇḍī
• शिखण्डी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखण्डिन्/शिखण्डी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमाविभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (Apposition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: नामार्थक-अव्यय (indeclinable meaning 'by name')

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमाविभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• कन्यकुब्जे: in Kanyakubja
• कन्यकुब्जे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्यकुब्ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमीविभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine/Place-name)

• प्रतापवान्: mighty, valorous
• प्रतापवान्: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतापवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमाविभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine); विशेषण

• अपुत्रः: sonless
• अपुत्रः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमाविभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine); नञ्-समासार्थक (negative)

• असौ: that (man)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/असौ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमाविभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• महीपालः: earth-protector, king
• महीपालः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमाविभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• कन्या: a daughter
• कन्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमाविभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• जाता: was born
• जाता: Kriya (Predicative participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जात (जन् धातु-क्त, कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle used predicatively), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मनोरथैः: by (his) wishes/longings
• मनोरथैः: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनोरथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीयाविभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

Speaker

Brāhmaṇa (unnamed)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: addressed to a king (nareśvara) within the narrative frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa narrator describes a mighty king Śikhaṇḍī ruling in Kānyakubja, renowned yet troubled by lack of a son, until a desired daughter is born.

Characters & Entities

• Śikhaṇḍī
• Kānyakubja
• rājā (king)
• kanyā (daughter)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly power and lineage remain uncertain; dharma unfolds through unexpected turns that later connect to sacred places.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly sets up the Hanūmanteśvara episode by introducing the Kānyakubja royal household.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the narrative prepares for rites connected with the princess and the tirtha.