Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

महिषं नीलवर्णं च वत्सनाभस्तपोधनः । महिषं तं समुद्दिश्य मनसा समचिंतयत्

Transliteration

mahiṣaṃ nīlavarṇaṃ ca vatsanābhastapodhanaḥ | mahiṣaṃ taṃ samuddiśya manasā samaciṃtayat

Translation

วัตสนาภผู้มั่งคั่งด้วยตบะได้เห็นควายสีคราม; ครั้นกำหนดจิตไปที่ควายนั้น ก็ใคร่ครวญภายในด้วยใจแน่วแน่

Word by Word

• महिषम्: buffalo
• महिषम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नीलवर्णम्: blue-colored/dark-hued
• नीलवर्णम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (नीलः वर्णः यस्य)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• वत्सनाभः: Vatsana-like (one resembling Vatsana)
• वत्सनाभः: Karta (Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्सन + आभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वत्सनस्य आभः/आभा इव = like Vatsana; here epithet)

• तपोधनः: one whose wealth is austerity (ascetic)
• तपोधनः: Karta (Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् + धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तपसः धनम् यस्य)

• महिषम्: the buffalo
• महिषम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तम्: that (one)
• तम्: Karma (Object determiner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• समुद्दिश्य: referring to/aiming at
• समुद्दिश्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उद् + दिश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having indicated/aimed at, referring to’

• मनसा: with the mind
• मनसा: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया, एकवचन

• समचिन्तयत्: considered/thought
• समचिन्तयत्: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator within Setu-khaṇḍa context; traditionally Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa to sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka-ādi ṛṣis (probable)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A striking blue-hued buffalo stands firm on wet ground, massive and calm; the ascetic gazes steadily, mind concentrated, as if reading a sign from the sacred landscape.

Characters & Entities

• Vatsanābha
• Mahiṣa (buffalo)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas refines perception—one learns to recognize dharma’s signs even in unexpected forms.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setu region is the larger sanctified frame; this verse highlights an ethical marvel within that sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is contemplative narration.