Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

यां पृच्छामो वयं सर्वे कौतूहलसमाहिताः

Transliteration

yāṃ pṛcchāmo vayaṃ sarve kautūhalasamāhitāḥ

Translation

যে বিষয়টি আমরা সকলে তীব্র কৌতূহলে মন একাগ্র করে জিজ্ঞাসা করছি—তা বলুন, হে নৃপতি।

Word by Word

• याम्: whom/which (fem.)
• याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पृच्छामः: we ask
• पृच्छामः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग-प्रयोगे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (वयम् इति)

• कौतूहल-समाहिताः: absorbed/intent with curiosity
• कौतूहल-समाहिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कौतूहल (प्रातिपदिक) + समाहित (कृदन्त; सम्-आ-धा धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (वयम्/सर्वे इति); समासः—षष्ठी/तत्पुरुषः (कौतूहलेन/कौतूहल-निमित्तं समाहिताः)

Speaker

Brāhmaṇas

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of brāhmaṇas leaning forward with attentive faces, hands in añjali, poised to ask; the atmosphere is charged with focused curiosity.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is approached through sincere inquiry and focused listening, preparing one to receive purāṇic instruction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this half-verse; it functions as a lead-in within the Tīrthamāhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it introduces a forthcoming question that will frame the teaching.