Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 176

Devanagari script

विनम्रकंधरो भूत्वा उवाच श्लक्ष्णया गिरा । कुतः कस्माच्च कस्यासि तच्छिघ्रं कथ्यतां प्रभो

Transliteration

vinamrakaṃdharo bhūtvā uvāca ślakṣṇayā girā | kutaḥ kasmācca kasyāsi tacchighraṃ kathyatāṃ prabho

Translation

Mit in Demut gesenkten Schultern sprach er in sanften Worten: „Woher bist du gekommen, wer bist du und zu wem gehörst du? Sage es mir schnell, o Ehrwürdiger.“

Word by Word

• vinamra-kaṃdharaḥ: having a bowed neck; humble
• vinamra-kaṃdharaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vinamra (प्रातिपदिक) + kaṃdhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (विनम्रः कन्धरः यस्य/विनम्रकन्धरः)

• bhūtvā: having become
• bhūtvā: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having become)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• ślakṣṇayā: with gentle (speech)
• ślakṣṇayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ślakṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (गिरा इति)

• girā: by/with speech
• girā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gir (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• kutaḥ: from where
• kutaḥ: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kutas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक-क्रियाविशेषण (interrogative adverb: 'from where/whence')

• kasmāt: from what/from whom
• kasmāt: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सर्वनाम), पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-समुच्चय (conjunction)

• kasya: of whom/whose
• kasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सर्वनाम), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• asi: you are
• asi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• tat: that (matter)
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सर्वनाम), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (तद्-विषयम्)

• śighram: quickly
• śighram: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śighra (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• kathyatām: let it be told
• kathyatām: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kath (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आज्ञार्थ (let it be told)

• prabho: O lord
• prabho: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Bali

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A powerful figure (son of Virocana) stands with shoulders bent, palms joined, speaking softly to a radiant dwarf-ascetic (Vāmana) in a Himalayan sacred landscape.

Characters & Entities

• Bali
• Brahmacārin (Vāmana)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes gentle speech and respectful inquiry—humility is shown not only by actions but also by words.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra remains the implied sacred setting in Kedārakhaṇḍa where such dhārmic conduct is showcased.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite; the verse models courteous address to a holy guest.