Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

भूतं भव्यं भविष्यच्च यत्सुरासुरमानवे । तात ते विदितं सर्वं तेन मे कौतुकं महत्

Transliteration

bhūtaṃ bhavyaṃ bhaviṣyacca yatsurāsuramānave | tāta te viditaṃ sarvaṃ tena me kautukaṃ mahat

Translation

Vergangenheit, Gegenwart und Zukunft—was immer Götter, Asuras und Menschen betrifft—ehrwürdiger Herr, dir ist alles bekannt; darum ist meine Neugier groß.

Word by Word

• भूतम्: the past (what has been)
• भूतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• भव्यम्: the future (what is to be)
• भव्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• भविष्यत्: the future (what will be)
• भविष्यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present/future active participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• सुरासुरमानवे: among gods, demons, and humans
• सुरासुरमानवे: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरासुरमानव (प्रातिपदिक; सुर + असुर + मानव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तात: O dear one/father
• तात: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• ते: to you/for you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• विदितम्: known
• विदितम्: Kriya (Predicate complement/क्रिया-विशेष्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• तेन: therefore, by that
• तेन: Hetu/Karana (Cause/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• कौतुकम्: curiosity
• कौतुकम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौतुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Yudhiṣṭhira (continuing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija/ṛṣi

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yudhiṣṭhira praises the sage’s omniscience across the three times and across beings (devas, asuras, humans), then expresses heightened curiosity; the sage remains tranquil, embodying time-transcending insight.

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Devas
• Asuras
• Humans

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverent questioning of a seer is upheld as a dharmic method for receiving sacred geography and theological insight.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ongoing context is Nāgatīrtha; this verse functions as a narrative bridge rather than direct praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a request for authoritative narration.