Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

आसाते ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठा ऋष्यमूकगिरौ तथा । सुग्रीवप्रत्ययार्थं च दुंदुभेः कायमाशु वै

Transliteration

āsāte brāhmaṇaśreṣṭhā ṛṣyamūkagirau tathā | sugrīvapratyayārthaṃ ca duṃdubheḥ kāyamāśu vai

Translation

Dort verweilten sie auf dem Berge Ṛṣyamūka, o Bester der Brāhmaṇas; und um Sugrīva Zuversicht zu geben, (wandte sich Rāma) eilends dem Leichnam Dundubhis zu.

Word by Word

• आसाते: they sit/dwell
• आसाते: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + √आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठाः: O best of brāhmaṇas
• ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठाः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषभावः (ब्राह्मणेषु श्रेष्ठाः)

• ऋष्यमूकगिरौ: on Mount Ṛṣyamūka
• ऋष्यमूकगिरौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋष्यमूक (प्रातिपदिक) + गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (ऋष्यमूकः गिरिः)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘also/likewise’

• सुग्रीवप्रत्ययार्थम्: for Sugrīva’s assurance
• सुग्रीवप्रत्ययार्थम्: Purpose (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुग्रीव (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रत्यय (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रयोग, द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), एकवचन; चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषभावः (सुग्रीवस्य प्रत्ययस्य अर्थम् = for Sugrīva’s conviction)

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

• दुंदुभेः: of Dundubhi
• दुंदुभेः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुंदुभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case/Genitive), एकवचन

• कायम्: body, carcass
• कायम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), एकवचन

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शीघ्रार्थक (quickly)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; indeed

Speaker

Narrator (addressing brāhmaṇaśreṣṭhāḥ)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ṛṣyamūka-giri

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas (explicit: 'brāhmaṇaśreṣṭhāḥ')

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On Ṛṣyamūka, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa stand near the massive corpse/bones of Dundubhi; Sugrīva watches anxiously, seeking proof; the setting is rocky hillside with forest edge.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣyamūka-giri
• Sugrīva
• Dundubhi
• Rāma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A righteous leader strengthens the faith of allies through clear, confidence-giving action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ṛṣyamūka-giri is mentioned as a significant locale in the narrative (not a direct tirtha-phala verse).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.