Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

तमर्चयित्वा विधिवद्राजा धर्मभृतां वरः । प्रपच्छ सुखमासीनं त्रिकालज्ञं महामुनिम्

Transliteration

tamarcayitvā vidhivadrājā dharmabhṛtāṃ varaḥ | prapaccha sukhamāsīnaṃ trikālajñaṃ mahāmunim

Translation

Having duly worshipped him, the king—foremost among upholders of dharma—questioned the great sage, who sat at ease and knew the three times (past, present, and future).

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (m., acc., sg.; pronoun)

• अर्चयित्वा: having worshipped
• अर्चयित्वा: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); ‘having worshipped’

• विधिवत्: duly, according to rite
• विधिवत्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: ‘according to rule’)

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (m., nom., sg.)

• धर्म: dharma
• धर्म: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (m., nom./acc., sg.; in compound member)

• भृताम्: of the upholders of dharma
• भृताम्: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √भृ धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (m., gen., pl.); समासः—धर्म-भृताम् (of the upholders of dharma)

• वरः: the best
• वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (m., nom., sg.)

• प्रपच्छ: asked
• प्रपच्छ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + पृच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (Perfect, 3rd person singular, Parasmaipada)

• सुखम्: comfortably
• सुखम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावे अव्ययवत्; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: ‘comfortably’)

• आसीनम्: seated
• आसीनम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participle); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (m., acc., sg.)

• त्रि: three
• त्रि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; समासाङ्ग (numeral; in compound member)

• काल: time
• काल: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (m., nom./acc., sg.; in compound member)

• ज्ञम्: knower of past, present, and future
• ज्ञम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √ज्ञा धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (m., acc., sg.); समासः—त्रि-काल-ज्ञम् (knower of the three times)

• महा: great
• महा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग; विशेषण (in compound member)

• मुनिम्: the great sage
• मुनिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (m., acc., sg.); समासः—महा-मुनिम् (great sage)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; prior speaker not explicit in this verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king performs formal worship to Parāśara—offering water, seat, arghya, flowers—then sits respectfully and asks questions; the sage sits at ease, serene, suggesting mastery of time.

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara (implied)
• Kāśmīra king (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is preserved when rulers honor saints properly and seek guidance with humility.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the verse highlights dharmic conduct and the authority of a mahāmuni.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performing vidhivat arcana—proper worship/honoring of a sage/guest before inquiry.