Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

आरुरुक्षुमवेक्ष्यामुं सुरुचिर्धुवमब्रवीत् । दौर्भगेय किमारोढुमिच्छेरंकं महीपतेः

Transliteration

ārurukṣumavekṣyāmuṃ surucirdhuvamabravīt | daurbhageya kimāroḍhumiccheraṃkaṃ mahīpateḥ

Translation

Als sie ihn im Begriff sah hinaufzusteigen, sprach Suruci zu Dhruva: „Unglücklicher, warum begehrst du, auf den Schoß des Königs zu steigen?“

Word by Word

• आरुरुक्षुम्: (him) wishing to climb
• आरुरुक्षुम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of avekṣya)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: सन्-प्रत्ययान्त (desiderative) वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त-रूप (present participle sense), पुंलिङ्ग द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘climb-wishing/trying to climb’

• अवेक्ष्य: having seen
• अवेक्ष्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (having looked at)

• अमुम्: him
• अमुम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (that one/this person)

• सुरुचिः: Suruci
• सुरुचिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ध्रुवम्: to Dhruva
• ध्रुवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of abravīt)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दौर्भगेय: O unfortunate one
• दौर्भगेय: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दौर्भाग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; तद्धित-रूप (addressing as ‘unfortunate one’)

• किम्: why/what
• किम्: Prayojana/Question object (प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

• आरोढुम्: to climb
• आरोढुम्: Karma (कर्म; complement of iccheḥ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), ‘to climb’

• इच्छेः: do you wish
• इच्छेः: Kriyā (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अङ्कम्: lap
• अङ्कम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• महीपतेः: of the king
• महीपतेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (महीयाः पतिः)

Speaker

Skanda (narrating); direct speech: Suruci

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages in the frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Suruci, adorned as queen, turns sharply toward Dhruva with a raised hand in admonition; Dhruva pauses mid-step, face wounded; the king looks conflicted; courtiers avert eyes.

Characters & Entities

• Suruci
• Dhruva
• Uttānapāda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Harsh speech and pride wound the heart, yet such suffering can redirect one toward higher, unshakable spiritual attainment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this line; it belongs to the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s broader sacred geography of Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse records Suruci’s rebuke.