Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

ततस्तान्ब्रवं प्रश्रानहं द्वादश पूर्वकान् । श्रुत्वा ते मामवो चंत लीलायंतो मुनीश्वराः

Transliteration

tatastānbravaṃ praśrānahaṃ dvādaśa pūrvakān | śrutvā te māmavo caṃta līlāyaṃto munīśvarāḥ

Translation

Dann richtete ich meine Fragen an jene zwölf Ältesten. Als sie mich hörten, antworteten die erhabensten Weisen beinahe spielerisch, als wäre es ihnen eine leichte Sache.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: then)

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन — Accusative plural

• ब्रवम्: I said
• ब्रवम्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन — Imperfect, 1st sg

• प्रश्रान्: questions
• प्रश्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रश्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन — Accusative plural

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — Nominative singular

• द्वादश: twelve
• द्वादश: Karma (Object-quantifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; (agreeing with प्रश्नान्) द्वितीया बहुवचनार्थे

• पूर्वकान्: preceding/earlier
• पूर्वकान्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन — Accusative plural (qualifying प्रश्नान्)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त) — Absolutive ‘having heard’

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — Nominative plural (enclitic)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — Accusative singular

• अवोचन्त: spoke/said
• अवोचन्त: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — Imperfect, 3rd pl

• लीलायन्तः: sporting/playfully
• लीलायन्तः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लीला + यत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — Present participle (शतृ) ‘sporting/playing’

• मुनीश्वराः: lords among sages
• मुनीश्वराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — Nominative plural; समासः मुनीनां ईश्वराः

Speaker

Narrator (within Sūta-style narration in Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The twelve elders (munīśvarāḥ)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The questioner respectfully presents a set of twelve questions to twelve venerable sages; the sages smile gently and respond with effortless composure, as if in play.

Characters & Entities

• munīśvarāḥ (great sages)
• dvādaśa pūrvakāḥ (twelve elders)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True wisdom answers even difficult questions with ease; the sage’s mastery appears effortless and calm.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it frames a didactic dialogue within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None here; the verse introduces a Q&A exchange.