Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

मन्वादिस्मृतिनिष्णातौ सर्वशास्त्रविशारदौ । सत्रयागे सहायार्थं बृहद्द्युम्नेन याचितौ

Transliteration

manvādismṛtiniṣṇātau sarvaśāstraviśāradau | satrayāge sahāyārthaṃ bṛhaddyumnena yācitau

Translation

In den Smṛtis, beginnend mit Manu, wohlbewandert und in allen Zweigen heiliger Lehre erfahren, wurden sie von König Bṛhaddyumna gebeten, beim Satra-Opfer zu helfen.

Word by Word

• मन्वादिस्मृतिनिष्णातौ: well-versed in Manu and other Smṛtis
• मन्वादिस्मृतिनिष्णातौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनु + आदि + स्मृति + निष्णात (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, द्विवचनम्; विशेषणम्; तत्पुरुषसमासः = मन्वादि-स्मृतिषु निष्णातौ (well-versed)

• सर्वशास्त्रविशारदौ: proficient in all śāstras
• सर्वशास्त्रविशारदौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + शास्त्र + विशारद (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, द्विवचनम्; विशेषणम्; तत्पुरुषसमासः = सर्वेषु शास्त्रेषु विशारदौ

• सत्रयागे: in the satra-sacrifice
• सत्रयागे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्र + याग (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषसमासः (सत्ररूपे यागे)

• सहायार्थम्: for the purpose of assistance
• सहायार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहाय + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: अव्ययभावे द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (accusative used adverbially); प्रयोजनार्थकः (purpose-expression)

• बृहद्द्युम्नेन: by Bṛhaddyumna
• बृहद्द्युम्नेन: Kartr-karana (Agent in passive/कर्ता-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृहद्द्युम्न (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम्

• याचितौ: requested, entreated (the two)
• याचितौ: Karma (Patient/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yāc (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, द्विवचनम्; कर्मणि प्रयोगे (passive sense)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (contextual deduction for Purāṇic narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A royal messenger or King Bṛhaddyumna respectfully petitions the two learned brothers; the setting suggests a court or sacrificial planning hall with maps of altar layouts, soma vessels, and attendants.

Characters & Entities

• Manu
• Smṛti
• Bṛhaddyumna
• Satra-yāga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Royal dharma succeeds when kings seek qualified, dharma-rooted guidance for sacred rites rather than acting by mere power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setukhaṇḍa’s pilgrimage horizon is Setu-kṣetra; this verse situates the narrative around a satra connected to that sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Assistance in a satra-yāga (a multi-day Vedic session-sacrifice) is mentioned, implying strict adherence to śrauta procedure.