Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । अथोवाच महादेवी तां बालां प्रति सादरम् । अयि वत्से महाभागे शृणु मे परमं वचः

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | athovāca mahādevī tāṃ bālāṃ prati sādaram | ayi vatse mahābhāge śṛṇu me paramaṃ vacaḥ

Translation

قال سوتا: ثم خاطبت الإلهة العظمى تلك الفتاة برفقٍ ومودة: «يا بُنيّتي المباركة، يا عظيمة الحظ، اسمعي كلمتي العليا».

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha/Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (sequencing particle)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महादेवी: the Great Goddess
• महादेवी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā + देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय (महती देवी)

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• बालाम्: the young girl
• बालाम्: Visheshana of Karma (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ताम् इति विशेषणम्

• प्रति: towards/to
• प्रति: Pratiyogin/Direction (प्रति/दिशा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय/उपसर्ग-स्वरूप)
• Form: अव्यय, उपपद (governing accusative)

• सादरम्: respectfully
• सादरम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रिया-विशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स + आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative used adverbially)

• अयि: O!
• अयि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अयि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• वत्से: O dear child
• वत्से: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• महाभागे: O very fortunate one
• महाभागे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महā + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (महान् भागः यस्याः सा)

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मे: my/to me
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन (Genitive/Dative singular enclitic)

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana of Karma (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; वचः इति विशेषणम्

• वचः: word/speech
• वचः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (narrator); Mahādevī (direct speech begins)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Naimiṣāraṇya (frame-kshetra, implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sūta as narrator in a forest assembly; then the Great Goddess turning toward a young girl, speaking with maternal affection, inviting her to listen to a supreme instruction.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Mahādevī
• bālā (young girl)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine instruction is given with compassion; receptivity and humility are prerequisites for receiving it.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse transitions into the Goddess’ counsel.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it introduces forthcoming guidance (paramaṃ vacaḥ).