Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मज्ञानं वदत्येकः श्रुत्वा ज्ञानवि शारदः । पश्यत्यन्यो हृषीकेशं चातुर्मास्यं समाहितः

Transliteration

brahmajñānaṃ vadatyekaḥ śrutvā jñānavi śāradaḥ | paśyatyanyo hṛṣīkeśaṃ cāturmāsyaṃ samāhitaḥ

Translation

ایک شخص بہت سن کر اور علم میں ماہر ہو کر برہماجنان بیان کرتا ہے؛ مگر دوسرا، یکسو دل کے ساتھ، چاتُرمَاسیہ میں ہریشیکیش کے درشن کرتا ہے—اسی کو اعلیٰ تر تکمیل کہا جاتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• brahmajñānam: knowledge of Brahman
• brahmajñānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman-jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—ब्रह्मन् + ज्ञान (ब्रह्म-विषयकं ज्ञानम्)

• vadati: speaks, teaches
• vadati: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vad (वद् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• ekaḥ: one (person)
• ekaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (श्रु धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• jñānaviśāradaḥ: skilled in knowledge
• jñānaviśāradaḥ: Karta-guṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jñāna-viśārada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—ज्ञान + विशारद (ज्ञान-निपुणः); विशेषण (एकः)

• paśyati: sees
• paśyati: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (दृश् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• anyaḥ: another (person)
• anyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• hṛṣīkeśam: Hṛṣīkeśa
• hṛṣīkeśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛṣīkeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• cāturmāsyam: the four-month period
• cāturmāsyam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (काल/अवधि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cāturmāsya (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• samāhitaḥ: concentrated
• samāhitaḥ: Karta-guṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-dhā (सम्+आ+धा धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (अन्यः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; exact speaker not in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hṛṣīkeśa-darśana (Cāturmāsya)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A scholar-sage seated with palm-leaf manuscripts teaching brahmajñāna to students; beside/above, a devotee in silent composure beholds Hṛṣīkeśa in temple sanctum during monsoon season—visualizing ‘speech vs sight’ hierarchy.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmajñāna
• Hṛṣīkeśa
• Cāturmāsya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Intellectual mastery and teaching are fulfilled only when they mature into direct God-experience—darśana—through devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; the verse glorifies the sacred season (Cāturmāsya) and the salvific vision of Hṛṣīkeśa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Teaching brahmajñāna is mentioned as a meritorious act; the verse highlights Cāturmāsya-focused composure leading to Hṛṣīkeśa-darśana.