Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 78
Devanagari script
कथयामास सर्वेषां दूतानां स्वयमेव हि । आकर्ण्यतां मम वचो हे दूतास्त्वरितेन हि
Transliteration
kathayāmāsa sarveṣāṃ dūtānāṃ svayameva hi | ākarṇyatāṃ mama vaco he dūtāstvaritena hi
Translation
وخاطب هو بنفسه جميع الرسل قائلاً: «اسمعوا قولي يا أيها الرسل—عَجِّلوا ولا تُبطِئوا».
Word by Word
kathayāmāsatold/related
kathayāmāsa:
Kriyā (Main action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√kath (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
Formलिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative/periphrastic perfect sense: “told/related”)
sarveṣāmof all
sarveṣām:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeAdjective
Rootsarva (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying dūtānām)
dūtānāmof the messengers
dūtānām:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootdūta (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन
svayamhimself
svayam:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Agent-emphasis/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsvayam (अव्यय)
Formस्वयम्-शब्दः अव्यय (adverb: oneself)
evaindeed
eva:
Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध-निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rooteva (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (emphatic particle)
hiindeed/for
hi:
Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Roothi (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle: indeed/for)
ākarṇyatāmlisten (let it be heard)
ākarṇyatām:
Kriyā (Imperative action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootā-√karṇ (धातु)
Formलोट् (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive imperative: “let it be heard / listen”)
mamamy
mama:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (genitive: my)
vacaḥword(s)/speech
vacaḥ:
Karman (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootvacas (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन (vacaḥ as acc. sg. of vacas)
heO
he:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeIndeclinable
Roothe (अव्यय)
Formसम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)
dūtāḥO messengers
dūtāḥ:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootdūta (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), बहुवचन
tvaritenaquickly/with haste
tvaritena:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeNoun
Roottvarita (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; भाववाचक/रीतिवाचक (instrumental of manner: “with haste”)
hiindeed
hi:
Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Roothi (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle)
Speaker
Sūta
Skanda Dialogue
Listener: Dūtāḥ (messengers)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A commanding figure addresses a gathered group of messengers, hand raised in instruction; the messengers stand attentive, ready to depart swiftly.
Characters & Entities
D
Dūta (messengers)FAQs
Purāṇic narratives often turn at moments of instruction—messengers become vehicles for dharmic command and reform.
The verse remains within the Kedārakhaṇḍa narrative setting connected to the Kedāra sacred region.
None; it introduces a forthcoming instruction to the messengers.