Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

को भवान्किमिहायातः किंचित्कार्यं वदस्व नः

Transliteration

ko bhavānkimihāyātaḥ kiṃcitkāryaṃ vadasva naḥ

Translation

„Wer bist du, und warum bist du hierher gekommen? Sage uns, welches Anliegen du hast.“

Word by Word

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम (Interrogative pronoun)

• भवान्: you (honored sir)
• भवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; आदरार्थ-पुरुषवाचक सर्वनाम (honorific pronoun)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• आयातः: has come
• आयातः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि/भूतकालिक क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘आगतः/आयातः’

• किंचित्: some, a certain
• किंचित्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किंचित् (अव्यय/सर्वनाम)
• Form: अव्यय; अल्पपरिमाणवाचक (indefinite ‘some/a little’)

• कार्यं: task, purpose
• कार्यं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• वदस्व: tell, speak
• वदस्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नः: to us / our
• नः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th) बहुवचन (Plural); सर्वनाम

Speaker

People (lokāḥ)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāṃpilya (community-gatekeeping moment)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of townspeople address the king; their posture is respectful yet inquisitive; the king stands composed, ready to answer.

Characters & Entities

• Indradyumna
• People of the region

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A seeker’s journey begins with declaring purpose; dharma is pursued consciously, not accidentally.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The setting remains Kāṃpilya; this verse is conversational and does not praise a tīrtha directly.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.