Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

यंयं कामं प्रार्थयंते कारयध्वं ततस्ततः । एवं नत्वा च विप्राणां सेवनं कुरुते तु यः

Transliteration

yaṃyaṃ kāmaṃ prārthayaṃte kārayadhvaṃ tatastataḥ | evaṃ natvā ca viprāṇāṃ sevanaṃ kurute tu yaḥ

Translation

Welchen Wunsch sie auch äußern, lasst ihn dementsprechend ausführen. Und wer, nachdem er sich so vor den Brāhmaṇas verneigt hat, ihnen Dienst erweist—

Word by Word

• यम्: whatever (which)
• यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (repeated)

• यम्: whatever
• यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कामम्: wish
• कामम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रार्थयन्ते: they request
• प्रार्थयन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अर्थ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• कारयध्वम्: have (it) done / arrange
• कारयध्वम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + णिच् (प्रेरण)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; णिजन्त (causative: cause to be done)

• ततः: thereupon
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: then/from that)

• ततः: each time / accordingly
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (repetition for distributive sense)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारार्थक-अव्यय (adverb: thus)

• नत्वा: having bowed
• नत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नम् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund: having bowed)

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

• विप्राणाम्: of the Brahmins
• विप्राणाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• सेवनम्: service
• सेवनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कुरुते: does / performs
• कुरुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• तु: indeed / but
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Rāma (continued instruction from prior verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Attendants move to fulfill each requested wish; a devotee bows to brāhmaṇas, then organizes service—bringing items, arranging conveyance, preparing offerings.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Vipra (brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Humility (bowing) joined with practical service (sevā) is taught as an effective embodiment of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya’s sanctity is reflected through the ideal conduct practiced and commanded within its setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Namaskāra to brāhmaṇas and arranging the fulfillment of their proper requests.