Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

सुखोपविष्टं तं सूतमासने परमे शुभे । पप्रच्छुः परमं गुह्यं लोकानुग्रहकांक्षया

Transliteration

sukhopaviṣṭaṃ taṃ sūtamāsane parame śubhe | papracchuḥ paramaṃ guhyaṃ lokānugrahakāṃkṣayā

Translation

Als Sūta behaglich auf einem höchst glückverheißenden Sitz Platz genommen hatte, befragten sie ihn nach dem höchsten Geheimnis, im Wunsch, der Welt Wohlergehen und Erhebung zu schenken.

Word by Word

• सुखोपविष्टम्: comfortably seated
• सुखोपविष्टम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + उपविष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; उप + विश् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, accusative singular; adjective of तम्/सूतम्

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, accusative singular

• सूतम्: Sūta
• सूतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, accusative singular; apposition to तम्

• आसने: on the seat
• आसने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, locative singular

• परमे: supreme, excellent
• परमे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, locative singular; adjective of आसने

• शुभे: auspicious
• शुभे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, locative singular; adjective of आसने

• पप्रच्छुः: they asked
• पप्रच्छुः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + पृच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — Perfect, 3rd plural

• परमम्: supreme, highest
• परमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, accusative singular; adjective of गुह्यम्

• गुह्यम्: secret (teaching/matter)
• गुह्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, accusative singular

• लोकानुग्रहकाङ्क्षया: out of desire for the welfare of the world
• लोकानुग्रहकाङ्क्षया: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + काङ्क्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, instrumental singular; हेतौ/निमित्ते (by reason of)

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Naimiṣāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sūta seated on an auspicious āsana; sages sit attentively with folded hands, poised to ask the ‘paramaṃ guhyam’; the atmosphere is solemn, compassionate, and world-facing.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Ṛṣis (sages)
• Naimiṣāraṇya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred inquiry should be motivated by loka-anugraha—seeking knowledge for the uplift of all, not mere curiosity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate scene is Naimiṣāraṇya; the inquiry opens the way to the Setu Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; it establishes the proper setting—honored teacher, auspicious seat, and dharmic intent—before instruction.