Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

कियती वर्तते वेला गतस्य पृथिवीपतेः । मार्गेणानेन मे ब्रूहि येन गच्छामि पृष्ठतः

Transliteration

kiyatī vartate velā gatasya pṛthivīpateḥ | mārgeṇānena me brūhi yena gacchāmi pṛṣṭhataḥ

Translation

„Wie viel Zeit ist vergangen, seit der König aufgebrochen ist? Sage es mir entlang dieses Weges, damit ich ihm von hinten nachfolgen kann.“

Word by Word

• कियती: how much/what extent (fem.)
• कियती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कियत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (interrogative adjective)

• वर्तते: exists/remains/continues
• वर्तते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• वेला: time/period
• वेला: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• गतस्य: of (him) who has gone
• गतस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) + गत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• पृथिवीपतेः: of the king (lord of the earth)
• पृथिवीपतेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पृथिव्याः पतिः)

• मार्गेण: by the path
• मार्गेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अनेन: by this
• अनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम विशेषणम्

• मे: to me/for me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) एकवचन (enclitic)

• ब्रूहि: tell (me)
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• गच्छामि: I go
• गच्छामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• पृष्ठतः: from behind/behind
• पृष्ठतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृष्ठतस् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place/direction)

Speaker

Attendant/servant (sevaka) addressing the arrow-maker

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas/ṛṣis (audience)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A royal attendant or seeker on a dusty road questions a local about how long ago the king departed and which route he took, indicating haste and devotion to duty.

Characters & Entities

• pṛthivīpati
• mārga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse functions narratively: it sets up a pursuit and impending dialogue, through which dharma or insight is typically revealed.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this question; it concerns the king’s route.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.