Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

मिथिलायां प्रवृत्तोऽभूद्ब्राह्मणस्य निवेशने । मिथिलायां पुरा पुर्यां ब्राह्मणः कौथुमाभिधः

Transliteration

mithilāyāṃ pravṛtto'bhūdbrāhmaṇasya niveśane | mithilāyāṃ purā puryāṃ brāhmaṇaḥ kauthumābhidhaḥ

Translation

Einst, in der Stadt Mithilā, lebte ein Brahmane namens Kauthuma, der in seinem eigenen Haus ansässig war.

Word by Word

• मिथिलायाम्: in Mithilā
• मिथिलायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मिथिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• प्रवृत्तः: engaged/occupied; having begun
• प्रवृत्तः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वृत् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकृत् (past participle, intransitive sense); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अभूत्: was/became
• अभूत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ब्राह्मणस्य: of a brahmin
• ब्राह्मणस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• निवेशने: in the dwelling/house
• निवेशने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवेशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• मिथिलायाम्: in Mithilā
• मिथिलायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मिथिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala-adhikarana (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb of time)

• पुर्याम्: in the city
• पुर्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणः: a brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कौथुमाभिधः: named Kauthuma
• कौथुमाभिधः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कौथुम + अभिध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (नाम + अभिध 'named'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (qualifies ब्राह्मणः)

Speaker

Sutanū

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mithilā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija (brāhmaṇa interlocutor)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A quiet urban courtyard in ancient Mithilā: a brāhmaṇa’s home with tulasī platform, students’ mats, and a learned householder (Kauthuma) introduced by the narrator.

Characters & Entities

• Mithilā
• Kauthuma (brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇas anchor teachings in sacred places and exemplary lives, showing dharma through lived narratives.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Mithilā is referenced as the setting, a famed dharmic city, though no specific tīrtha is described in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.