Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

तं भक्तिभारोच्छ्वसितांतरात्मा संस्तूय वाग्भिः श्रुतिसंमिताभिः । कृतांजलिः प्रश्रयनम्रकंधरः पप्रच्छ धर्मानखिलाञ्छु भप्रदान्

Transliteration

taṃ bhaktibhārocchvasitāṃtarātmā saṃstūya vāgbhiḥ śrutisaṃmitābhiḥ | kṛtāṃjaliḥ praśrayanamrakaṃdharaḥ papraccha dharmānakhilāñchu bhapradān

Translation

Da sein Innerstes vom Gewicht der Hingabe überquoll, pries er Ihn mit Worten, die den Veden entsprechen; dann, mit gefalteten Händen und in Demut geneigtem Nacken, fragte er nach allen Formen des Dharma, die segensreiches Heil verleihen.

Word by Word

• tam: him
• tam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• bhakti-bhāra-ucchvasita-antara-ātmā: whose inner self is uplifted/expanded by the weight of devotion
• bhakti-bhāra-ucchvasita-antara-ātmā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāra (प्रातिपदिक) + ucchvasita (कृदन्त; √śvas/श्वस् + ud- उपसर्ग, क्त) + antara (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (कर्ता-विशेषण)

• saṃstūya: having praised
• saṃstūya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √stu (स्तु) + sam- उपसर्ग; ल्यबन्त (अव्ययीभाव-क्रियाविशेषण)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive): ‘having praised’

• vāgbhiḥ: with words/speeches
• vāgbhiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāc (वाच्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental), बहुवचनम्

• śruti-saṃmitābhiḥ: in accordance with the Vedas
• śruti-saṃmitābhiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śruti (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃmita (कृदन्त; √mā/मा, क्त, ‘measured/consistent’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental), बहुवचनम्; ‘vāgbhiḥ’ इति विशेषणम्

• kṛta-aṃjaliḥ: with hands joined (in reverence)
• kṛta-aṃjaliḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (कृदन्त; √kṛ/कृ, क्त) + aṃjali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (कर्ता-विशेषण)

• praśraya-namra-kaṃdharaḥ: with neck bowed in humility
• praśraya-namra-kaṃdharaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: praśraya (प्रातिपदिक) + namra (प्रातिपदिक) + kaṃdhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (कर्ता-विशेषण)

• papraccha: asked
• papraccha: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √prach (प्रच्छ्)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• dharmān: duties/virtues (dharmas)
• dharmān: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (धर्म) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), बहुवचनम्

• akhilān: all
• akhilān: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akhila (अखिल) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), बहुवचनम्; ‘dharmān’ इति विशेषणम्

• śubha-pradān: bestowing auspiciousness
• śubha-pradān: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक) + prada (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √dā/दा + pra- उपसर्ग, ‘giving’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), बहुवचनम्; ‘dharmān’ इति विशेषणम्

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; describing Sanatkumāra approaching Rudra)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhagavān Rudra (as teacher)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage, eyes softened by devotion, praises Rudra with Veda-toned words; hands folded, neck bowed, he asks for auspicious dharmas. Rudra sits serene, radiating grace.

Characters & Entities

• Sanatkumāra
• Rudra (Śiva)
• Śruti (Vedas)
• Dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True inquiry into dharma should arise from devotion and humility, and be aligned with Vedic (śruti) authority.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it sets the devotional tone for a dharma-teaching dialogue.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The posture of reverence—folded hands and humble demeanor—precedes receiving instruction on dharma.