Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

वामनेन च रामेण राघवेण च किं कृतम् । बुद्धरूपेण किं वापि कल्किना किं कृतं वद

Transliteration

vāmanena ca rāmeṇa rāghaveṇa ca kiṃ kṛtam | buddharūpeṇa kiṃ vāpi kalkinā kiṃ kṛtaṃ vada

Translation

又化为侏儒（Vāmana）时作了什么？化为罗摩——罗伽婆（Rāghava）时又成就何事？并且，化为佛陀之相究竟作了什么，迦尔吉又将行何业？请为我宣说。

Word by Word

• वामनेन: by Vāmana
• वामनेन: Karana (Instrument/Agent/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वामन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Coordination/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक/conjunction)

• रामेण: by Rāma
• रामेण: Karana (Instrument/Agent/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• राघवेण: by Rāghava (descendant of Raghu)
• राघवेण: Karana (Instrument/Agent/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Coordination/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक/conjunction)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• कृतम्: was done
• कृतम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बुद्धरूपेण: in the form of Buddha
• बुद्धरूपेण: Karana (Instrument/Mode/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्ध + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (बुद्धस्य रूपम्)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (विकल्प/alternative particle)

• अपि: also/indeed
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/अवधारण particle; here: ‘also/indeed’)

• कल्किना: by Kalki
• कल्किना: Karana (Instrument/Agent/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्कि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• कृतम्: was done
• कृतम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वद: tell (me)
• वद: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Yudhiṣṭhira

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The brāhmaṇa-sage

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yudhiṣṭhira continues his respectful questioning, enumerating avatāras; the sage listens poised to narrate, suggesting an unfolding kathā session.

Characters & Entities

• Vāmana
• Rāma (Rāghava)
• Buddha
• Kalki
• Yudhiṣṭhira

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Remembering and understanding avatāras is treated as dharmic education that strengthens devotion and moral clarity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; the broader passage is embedded in the Jayavārāha/Narmadā tīrtha context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it requests narration of avatāra deeds.