Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

एवं च रममाणस्तु ऋषीणामाश्रमं महत् । जगाम कौतुकाविष्टो भिक्षार्थं दारुके वने

Transliteration

evaṃ ca ramamāṇastu ṛṣīṇāmāśramaṃ mahat | jagāma kautukāviṣṭo bhikṣārthaṃ dāruke vane

Translation

So ging er, während er spielerisch umherstreifte, von Neugier ergriffen, zur großen Einsiedelei der ṛṣi und in den Dāruka-Wald, um Almosen zu erbitten.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• रममाणः: sporting, enjoying
• रममाणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रम् (धातु) + शानच् (प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शानच्-कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (agentive)

• तु: indeed, however
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोधार्थक निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• ऋषीणाम्: of the sages
• ऋषीणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन

• आश्रमम्: hermitage
• आश्रमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन

• महत्: great
• महत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying) आश्रमम्

• जगाम: went
• जगाम: Kriyā (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• कौतुकाविष्टः: possessed by curiosity
• कौतुकाविष्टः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कौतुक (प्रातिपदिक) + आविष्ट (√विश्/आ-विश् धातु, क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (कौतुक-आविष्टः = कौतुकेन आविष्टः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to subject)

• भिक्षार्थम्: for alms
• भिक्षार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भिक्षा (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास; अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण प्रयुक्तम् (purpose-accusative: ‘for the sake of alms’)

• दारुके: in the wooded/wood-filled
• दारुके: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दारुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to vane)

• वने: forest
• वने: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dāruka-vana

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva, moved by playful curiosity, arrives at the sages’ grand hermitage in Dāruka forest seeking alms, initiating the dramatic encounter.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (implied)
• Ṛṣis
• Dāruka Vana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord may appear as a mendicant to reveal hidden pride and to establish deeper dharma beyond externals.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The chapter belongs to Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya; Dāruka Vana is the narrative setting within this sanctified framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bhikṣā (alms) is mentioned as an act within the story, not as a direct prescription.