Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 77

Devanagari script

याज्ञवल्क्यो महात्मा च परब्रह्मस्वरूपवान् । सोऽपि कुंडं न मुंचेत निकुं भस्तु गणस्तथा

Transliteration

yājñavalkyo mahātmā ca parabrahmasvarūpavān | so'pi kuṃḍaṃ na muṃceta nikuṃ bhastu gaṇastathā

Translation

Kahit si Yājñavalkya na dakilang kaluluwa, na nagtataglay ng anyo ng Kataas-taasang Brahman, ay hindi iiwan ang kuṇḍa na ito; gayundin si Nikuṃbha at ang kaniyang gaṇa.

Word by Word

• याज्ञवल्क्यः: Yājñavalkya
• याज्ञवल्क्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याज्ञवल्क्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• महात्मा: the great-souled one
• महात्मा: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (महान् आत्मा यस्य)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• परब्रह्मस्वरूपवान्: having the nature of the Supreme Brahman
• परब्रह्मस्वरूपवान्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परब्रह्म-स्वरूप-वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (परब्रह्मणः स्वरूपम्) + वत्-प्रत्यय (possessive)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• कुण्डम्: the pond/kuṇḍa
• कुण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

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

• मुञ्चेत: should abandon/leave
• मुञ्चेत: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• निकुम्भः: Nikumbha
• निकुम्भः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निकुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (contrast/emphasis)

• गणः: the group/attendant
• गणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Unknown (contextual narrator within Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Brahmakuṇḍa

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yājñavalkya, luminous and composed, stands or sits by the kuṇḍa in meditation; nearby, Nikuṃbha and a retinue (gaṇa) appear as semi-divine attendants, guarding and honoring the sacred waters.

Characters & Entities

• Yājñavalkya
• Brahmakuṇḍa (implied kuṇḍa)
• Nikuṃbha
• Gaṇa
• Parabrahman

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha’s greatness is validated by the unwavering presence of realized sages and divine attendants who refuse to forsake it.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The kuṇḍa being praised in this passage—Brahmakuṇḍa within Prabhāsa-kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed here; the verse asserts the sanctity of the kuṇḍa by citing exemplary residents/devotees.