Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

स तां दृष्ट्वा विशां नाथो रुजार्त्तां क्लिष्टपुत्रकाम् । नीत्वा रहसि सुव्यक्तं तद्वृत्तांतमपृच्छत

Transliteration

sa tāṃ dṛṣṭvā viśāṃ nātho rujārttāṃ kliṣṭaputrakām | nītvā rahasi suvyaktaṃ tadvṛttāṃtamapṛcchata

Translation

Seeing her, the leader of the Vaiśyas found her in pain and weighed down with concern for her child. Taking her aside in private, he asked her to relate clearly the whole account of what had happened.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• विशाम्: of the people/subjects
• विशाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘people/subjects’, pluralia)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (विश्), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• नाथः: the lord/protector
• नाथः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• रुजार्ताम्: afflicted with pain
• रुजार्ताम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुजा + आर्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; ऋ धातु, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘रुजया आर्ता’ (afflicted by pain)

• क्लिष्टपुत्रकाम्: whose child was distressed / distressed with her child
• क्लिष्टपुत्रकाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्लिष्टपुत्रका (प्रातिपदिक; क्लिष्ट + पुत्रका)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्लिष्ट (कृदन्त, क्त) as qualifier

• नीत्वा: having taken (her)
• नीत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया; ‘having led/taken’

• रहसि: in private
• रहसि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रहस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोग (locative adverbial); ‘in private/secretly’

• सुव्यक्तम्: clearly
• सुव्यक्तम्: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक; सु + व्यक्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (clearly)

• तद्वृत्तान्तम्: that account/incident
• तद्वृत्तान्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद्वृत्तान्त (प्रातिपदिक; तद् + वृत्तान्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अपृच्छत: asked
• अपृच्छत: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator; specific speaker not explicit in this snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The merchant-chief gently escorts the queen to a secluded room and questions her with calm seriousness while she holds her child close.

Characters & Entities

• viśāṃ nātha (merchant-chief)
• rājñī (queen)
• putra (son)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma requires discernment: before acting, one should learn the truth carefully and respectfully.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse highlights ethical procedure—private, clear inquiry.