Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

जानन्नात्मानमल्पत्वाद्बुद्धेर्न स्तौषि यादवम् । तत्किमर्थं महावीर्यं न स्तौष्यर्जुनमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

jānannātmānamalpatvādbuddherna stauṣi yādavam | tatkimarthaṃ mahāvīryaṃ na stauṣyarjunamuttamam

Translation

Yamang batid mong ikaw ay may hangganan dahil sa kakulangan ng unawa, hindi mo pinupuri ang Yādava (Kṛṣṇa). Kung gayon, bakit hindi mo rin purihin ang dakilang Arjuna, ang pinakamainam na may malaking kabayanihan?

Word by Word

• जानन्: knowing
• जानन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• आत्मानम्: oneself
• आत्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अल्पत्वात्: because of smallness/insignificance
• अल्पत्वात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अल्पत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• बुद्धेः: of (your) intellect
• बुद्धेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी/पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Gen./Abl. 6th/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• स्तौषि: you praised
• स्तौषि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• यादवम्: the Yādava (Kṛṣṇa)
• यादवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यादव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्: then/therefore
• तत्: Avyaya (Discourse connector/निपातवत्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Singular)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Avyaya (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Singular)

• अर्थम्: purpose/reason
• अर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• महावीर्यम्: great valor
• महावीर्यम्: Visheshya/Visheshana (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास ('great' + 'valor'), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• स्तौष्य: will you praise
• स्तौष्य: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple future), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• अर्जुनम्: Arjuna
• अर्जुनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• उत्तमम्: excellent/supreme
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Deducted (contextual): A Pāṇḍava addressing Yudhiṣṭhira (likely Bhīma, given later self-references)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A reflective exchange: a speaker points out the logic of humility and the inconsistency of withholding praise from Kṛṣṇa yet also not praising Arjuna; faces show contemplation rather than anger.

Characters & Entities

• Yādava (Kṛṣṇa)
• Arjuna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Do not let self-doubt or limited understanding prevent rightful praise of the virtuous and divinely empowered.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; the focus is on dhārmic praise (stuti) within a Puranic dialogue.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the instruction is ethical—offer fitting praise to the worthy.