Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

तदैव विस्मितः सूर्यो दुष्टपुत्रौ समीक्ष्य च । ज्ञातुं दध्यौ क्षणं ध्यात्वा विदित्वा तच्च कारणम्

Transliteration

tadaiva vismitaḥ sūryo duṣṭaputrau samīkṣya ca | jñātuṃ dadhyau kṣaṇaṃ dhyātvā viditvā tacca kāraṇam

Translation

In eben diesem Augenblick war die Sonne erstaunt, als sie jene beiden widerspenstigen Söhne sah, und sann nach, um es zu verstehen. Nach einem kurzen Innehalten erkannte sie die Ursache.

Word by Word

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• विस्मितः: astonished
• विस्मितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्मित (प्रातिपदिक; स्मि/स्मय्-धातुजन्य क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

• सूर्यः: the Sun
• सूर्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• दुष्टपुत्रौ: the two wicked sons
• दुष्टपुत्रौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—दुष्टौ पुत्रौ (wicked sons) कर्मधारयः; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन

• समीक्ष्य: having observed
• समीक्ष्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ईक्ष् (धातु) + सम्-उपसर्ग + ल्यप् (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having looked at/observed’

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• ज्ञातुम्: to know
• ज्ञातुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त/infinitive)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), ‘to know’

• दध्यौ: he pondered
• दध्यौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• क्षणम्: for a moment
• क्षणम्: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कालपरिमाणे अव्ययीभाववत् (for a moment)

• ध्यात्वा: having reflected
• ध्यात्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्यै (धातु) + क्त्वा (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having meditated/thought’

• विदित्वा: having understood
• विदित्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विद् (धातु) + क्त्वा (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having known/understood’

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• कारणम्: the cause
• कारणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत् इत्यस्य विशेष्य/अप्पोजिशन

Speaker

Unknown (narrative voice within Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa; likely Sūta narrating to sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sūrya, radiant yet composed, looks upon the stern figures (Śani, Yama) and becomes astonished; then he closes his eyes in a brief meditative absorption, rays forming a mandala of insight around him.

Characters & Entities

• Sūrya
• Śani (implied)
• Yama (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Discernment (dhyāna-born understanding) reveals causality; even divine beings pause to inquire into dharma and karma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader episode remains situated in Dharmāraṇya, whose sanctity frames these revelations.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Meditative reflection (dhyāna) is implied as a means to know truth, though no formal rite is stated.