Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

पप्रच्छुः किमिदं चित्रं वस्त्रमूर्धजसंभवम् । अनौपम्यं च संजातं वदस्व यदि मन्यसे

Transliteration

papracchuḥ kimidaṃ citraṃ vastramūrdhajasaṃbhavam | anaupamyaṃ ca saṃjātaṃ vadasva yadi manyase

Translation

Họ hỏi: “Điều kỳ lạ này là gì—y phục lại sinh từ tóc ư? Một kỳ tích vô song đã xảy ra. Xin hãy nói cho chúng tôi, nếu ông thấy thích hợp.”

Word by Word

• papracchuḥ: they asked
• papracchuḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√ch (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural)

• kim: what?
• kim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (singular)

• idam: this
• idam: Visheshya (Referent/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (singular)

• citram: wonderful/strange
• citram: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: citra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (singular)

• vastra-mūrdhaja-saṃbhavam: arisen from hair (head-hair) as cloth
• vastra-mūrdhaja-saṃbhavam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vastra (प्रातिपदिक) + mūrdhaja (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-तत्पुरुष: 'मूर्धजैः/मूर्धजात् सम्भवः' (arisen from hair)

• anaupamyam: incomparable
• anaupamyam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anaupamya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• saṃjātam: arisen/produced
• saṃjātam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃ√jan (धातु) → saṃjāta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• vadasva: tell (us)
• vadasva: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (singular), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada)

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (Condition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तबोधक अव्यय (conditional particle)

• manyase: you think/consider
• manyase: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (singular), आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Narrator (Brāhmaṇas speaking within the narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of brāhmaṇas, astonished, point toward an uncanny bundle of cloth seemingly sprung from hair; their faces show wonder and questioning, while the setting hints at a riverside/settlement near a dyeing area.

Characters & Entities

• brāhmaṇas
• rajaka (implied addressee)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverent inquiry into sacred wonders is encouraged; understanding the cause of a miracle strengthens faith and right conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader chapter is a Tīrthamāhātmya, but this verse does not identify the tīrtha by name.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a question requesting explanation of an extraordinary event.