Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

तपस्विनोऽथ ऋषयः सर्वे संत्रस्तमानसाः । पश्यमाना मुनेः कष्टं पृच्छन्ते ते युधिष्ठिर

Transliteration

tapasvino'tha ṛṣayaḥ sarve saṃtrastamānasāḥ | paśyamānā muneḥ kaṣṭaṃ pṛcchante te yudhiṣṭhira

Translation

Da fragten alle asketischen Weisen, im Herzen von Schrecken erschüttert, als sie das Leiden jenes Muni sahen, ihn aus — o Yudhiṣṭhira.

Word by Word

• तपस्विनः: ascetics
• तपस्विनः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अनन्तरवाचक-अव्यय (then/now)

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• संत्रस्तमानसाः: whose minds were terrified
• संत्रस्तमानसाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संत्रस्त (त्रस् धातु + क्त) + मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि (संत्रस्तं मानसं येषाम्)

• पश्यमानाः: seeing
• पश्यमानाः: Karta (Concomitant action)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पश्य् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त; पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• मुनेः: of the sage
• मुनेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; षष्ठी, एकवचन

• कष्टम्: distress
• कष्टम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पृच्छन्ते: they ask
• पृच्छन्ते: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिर: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th case/vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator addressing Yudhiṣṭhira; likely Vaiśaṃpāyana in Mahābhārata-style framing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra āśrama network (unspecified)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of ascetics with matted hair and bark garments gather around a suffering muni; their faces show concern; one elder leans forward to ask questions.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣis (sages)
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Muni (unnamed sage)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True ascetics respond to others’ suffering with concern and inquiry, reflecting dharmic compassion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader setting is the Revā Khaṇḍa (Narmadā/Revā sacred geography), though this verse itself focuses on the sages’ reaction rather than naming a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it sets the scene for a dharma-centered dialogue.