Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

अथासौ ब्राह्मणो दृष्ट्वा स्वं पुत्रं गृहमागतम् । सहितं विप्ररूपेण धर्मराजेन धीमता

Transliteration

athāsau brāhmaṇo dṛṣṭvā svaṃ putraṃ gṛhamāgatam | sahitaṃ viprarūpeṇa dharmarājena dhīmatā

Translation

Dann sah der Brāhmaṇa seinen eigenen Sohn nach Hause zurückkehren, begleitet vom weisen Dharmarāja in der Gestalt eines Brāhmaṇa.

Word by Word

• अथ: then/thereupon
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• असौ: that (man)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असौ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणः: the Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having seen)

• स्वम्: his own
• स्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘पुत्रम्’ विशेषण

• पुत्रम्: son
• पुत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• गृहम्: home
• गृहम्: Adhikarana (Goal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; गत्यर्थे (to home)

• आगतम्: come/arrived
• आगतम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘पुत्रम्’ विशेषण

• सहितम्: accompanied
• सहितम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित (प्रातिपदिक; √सह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘पुत्रम्’ विशेषण (accompanied)

• विप्ररूपेण: in Brahmin form
• विप्ररूपेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र-रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (विप्रस्य रूपम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण (in the form of a Brahmin)

• धर्मराजेन: by Dharmarāja (Yama)
• धर्मराजेन: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म-राज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (धर्मस्य राजा); पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• धीमता: wise
• धीमता: Karana (Instrument qualifier/करणविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; ‘धर्मराजेन’ विशेषण

Speaker

Narrative voice (Purāṇic narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa at his doorway sees his son returned, accompanied by a radiant brāhmaṇa-guest (Dharmarāja in disguise); the father’s posture shifts from disbelief to reverent awe.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Son
• Dharmarāja (Yama)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharmic order is not merely punitive; it can manifest with wisdom and restraint, especially in contexts of devotion and sacred place-glory.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly, the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra of the chapter; this verse itself highlights the return-home miracle within that māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated in this verse.