Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । एवमुक्तो धर्मराज्ञा क्षणं ध्यात्वा जनार्दनः । धर्मराजमिदं वाक्यं पदांतरितमब्रवीत्

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | evamukto dharmarājñā kṣaṇaṃ dhyātvā janārdanaḥ | dharmarājamidaṃ vākyaṃ padāṃtaritamabravīt

Translation

Sūta sprach: So von Dharmarāja angesprochen, sann Janārdana einen Augenblick nach und erwiderte Dharmarāja darauf mit wohlbedachten Worten.

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta (the narrator)
• सूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (perfect; 3rd person singular)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: thus)

• उक्तः: having been spoken to; addressed
• उक्तः: Karta (Subject complement: 'having been addressed')
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• धर्मराज्ञा: by Dharmarāja
• धर्मराज्ञा: Karana (Agent in passive/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• क्षणम्: for a moment
• क्षणम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Temporal extent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (accusative singular; time-extent)

• ध्यात्वा: having reflected
• ध्यात्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• जनार्दनः: Janārdana (Krishna)
• जनार्दनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• धर्मराजम्: Dharmarāja
• धर्मराजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (accusative singular)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (accusative singular)

• वाक्यम्: speech; statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (accusative singular)

• पदांतरितम्: with words interposed; in different words
• पदांतरितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पद-अन्तरित (प्रातिपदिक; पद + अन्तरित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (accusative singular; qualifying वाक्यम्)

• अब्रवीत्: said; spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (past; 3rd person singular)

Speaker

Sūta

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A storyteller’s cut: Sūta narrates; then the scene returns to Kṛṣṇa pausing in thought before speaking to the king.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Dharmarāja
• Janārdana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is to be spoken with reflection and measured speech, especially in matters of judgment and righteousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions as a narrative transition within the chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse sets the scene for Janārdana’s forthcoming explanation.