Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । शृणु पुत्र प्रवक्ष्यामि रहस्यं परमं मतम् । एते ब्रह्मविदः प्रोक्ताश्चातुर्विद्या महा द्विजाः

Transliteration

brahmovāca | śṛṇu putra pravakṣyāmi rahasyaṃ paramaṃ matam | ete brahmavidaḥ proktāścāturvidyā mahā dvijāḥ

Translation

梵天说道：“听吧，孩子；我将宣说至上的教诲、伟大的奥秘。此等被称为知梵者——伟大的二次生者，通达四种学识。”

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक; ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच्)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Perfect, 3rd person singular

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (श्रु)
• Form: लोट् (परस्मैपद), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन — Imperative, 2nd person singular

• पुत्र: O son
• पुत्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8th), एकवचन — Masculine, Vocative singular

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I shall explain
• प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√vac (वच्)
• Form: लृट् (परस्मैपद), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन — Simple future, 1st person singular

• रहस्यम्: secret
• रहस्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rahasya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative singular

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; रहस्यम् इति विशेषण — Neuter, Accusative singular

• मतम्: doctrine/teaching
• मतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म) (appositional to rahasyam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mata (कृदन्त; √man मन्, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘मत’ = opinion/doctrine — Neuter, Accusative singular

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative plural

• ब्रह्मविदः: knowers of Brahman
• ब्रह्मविदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता) (apposition to ete)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahma-vid (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ब्रह्म + विद् (उपपद-तत्पुरुषः) — Masculine, Nominative plural

• प्रोक्ताः: are called/declared
• प्रोक्ताः: Kriya (Predicate participle)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prokta (कृदन्त; pra-√vac वच्, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त — Masculine, Nominative plural; ‘are said/called’

• चातुर्विद्याः: those of fourfold learning
• चातुर्विद्याः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cātur-vidyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; चतुर् + विद्या (द्विगु/तत्पुरुष-भाव; ‘fourfold learning’) — Masculine, Nominative plural

• महा: great
• महा: Karta (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; द्विजाः इति विशेषण (छन्दोवशात् अव्ययवत् रूपम्) — Masculine, Nominative plural (as adjective)

• द्विजाः: twice-born (brāhmaṇas)
• द्विजाः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative plural

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: putra (son/disciple)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā, four-faced, seated on a lotus-seat or kusa mat in a forest hermitage, addresses his son/disciple; surrounding are learned dvijas with Veda manuscripts; atmosphere of secrecy and sanctity.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Brahmavidyā
• Dvija

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True greatness is defined by Brahman-knowledge joined with disciplined learning and dharmic standing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is mentioned in this opening verse; it introduces Brahmā’s teaching in the Dharmāraṇya section.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed here; it is an introductory proclamation of esoteric instruction.