Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

राजोवाच । अस्थिक्षेपो जले कस्माद्धनूमन्तेश्वरे द्विज । क्रियते केन कार्येण साश्चर्यं कथ्यतां मम

Transliteration

rājovāca | asthikṣepo jale kasmāddhanūmanteśvare dvija | kriyate kena kāryeṇa sāścaryaṃ kathyatāṃ mama

Translation

রাজা বলিলেন—হে দ্বিজ! হনূমন্তেশ্বরের জলে অস্থিক্ষেপ কেন করা হয়? কোন উদ্দেশ্যে এই ক্রিয়া সম্পন্ন হয়? এই আশ্চর্য বিষয় আমাকে বল।

Word by Word

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• अस्थिक्षेपः: the bone-immersion (casting of bones)
• अस्थिक्षेपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्थिक्षेप (प्रातिपदिक; अस्थि + क्षेप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• जले: in water
• जले: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• कस्मात्: why
• कस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; हेतौ

• हनूमन्तेश्वरे: at Hanūmanteśvara
• हनूमन्तेश्वरे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हनूमन्तेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; हनूमन्त् + ईश्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• द्विज: O Brahmin
• द्विज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• क्रियते: is done
• क्रियते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• केन: by what, for what means
• केन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करणप्रश्न (by what)

• कार्येण: for what purpose
• कार्येण: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे/प्रयोजनार्थे (by/for the purpose)

• साश्चर्यम्: wonderful, astonishing
• साश्चर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + आश्चर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (वृत्तान्तम्/कथनम्) विशेषण; स-उपसर्गेण ‘with wonder’

• कथ्यताम्: let it be told
• कथ्यताम्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive); आज्ञा/निवेदन (let it be told)

• मम: to me / of me
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Śatabāhu (king) (implied by the continuing dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hanūmanteśvara

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Audience/ṛṣis (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king, astonished, presses for the reason: why bones are immersed specifically at Hanūmanteśvara waters; the brāhmaṇa stands poised to narrate the marvel/legend.

Characters & Entities

• Hanūmanteśvara
• brāhmaṇa (listener)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Puranic dharma encourages understanding the meaning of rites—ritual is joined to knowledge of place and purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Hanūmanteśvara, presented as a specially efficacious site for rites connected to the departed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Asthi-kṣepa in sacred water; the verse asks for its rationale and intended spiritual effect.