Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

युधिष्ठिर उवाच । कुत आगम्यते पुत्र क्व चायं विहृतस्त्वया । कालः क्वचित्सुखं राज्यं कुरुषे मातुलं तव

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | kuta āgamyate putra kva cāyaṃ vihṛtastvayā | kālaḥ kvacitsukhaṃ rājyaṃ kuruṣe mātulaṃ tava

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira sprach: „Mein Sohn, woher kommst du, und wo bist du umhergezogen? Verbringst du einige Zeit in Wohlergehen, und dienst du dem Reich deines Onkels mütterlicherseits gut?“

Word by Word

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कुतः: from where
• कुतः: Kriya-viseshana (Source-question)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative adverb)

• आगम्यते: has come/comes
• आगम्यते: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (is come/has come)

• पुत्र: O son
• पुत्र: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन

• क्व: where
• क्व: Kriya-viseshana (Location-question)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रश्नवाचक (where)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विहृतः: has been roaming/sporting
• विहृतः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-हृ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; धातु: हृ (to sport/roam in this sense), उपसर्ग: वि; ‘having sported/roamed’

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Kartr (Agent—‘by you’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम

• कालः: time
• कालः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• क्वचित्: at some time/anywhere
• क्वचित्: Kriya-viseshana (Indefinite adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनिश्चित-स्थान/कालवाचक (somewhere/sometime)

• सुखम्: happiness, comfort
• सुखम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• राज्यम्: kingdom, rule
• राज्यम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कुरुषे: you do/you make
• कुरुषे: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• मातुलम्: maternal uncle
• मातुलम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

Speaker

Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yudhiṣṭhira, composed and compassionate, questions Bhīma’s son about his travels and service to his maternal uncle’s realm; courtiers listen attentively.

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Ghaṭotkaca
• Maternal uncle (mātula, unnamed)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes responsible ties—care for family, lawful service, and disciplined conduct even in times of ease.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; it is a courtly dialogue opening Yudhiṣṭhira’s inquiry.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse concerns duty and wellbeing rather than rites.