Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

एकदा सूतमायांतं दृष्ट्वा तं शौनकादयः । परं हर्षं समाविष्टाः पपुर्नेत्रैः सुचेतसा । चित्राः श्रोतुं कथास्तत्र परिवव्रुस्तपस्विनः

Transliteration

ekadā sūtamāyāṃtaṃ dṛṣṭvā taṃ śaunakādayaḥ | paraṃ harṣaṃ samāviṣṭāḥ papurnetraiḥ sucetasā | citrāḥ śrotuṃ kathāstatra parivavrustapasvinaḥ

Translation

Once, seeing the Sūta approaching, the sages led by Śaunaka were filled with great joy and ‘drank him in’ with their eyes, attentive and composed. Eager to hear wondrous narratives, those ascetics gathered around him there.

Word by Word

• ekadā: once
• ekadā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + dā (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• sūtam: Sūta (the bard)
• sūtam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• āyāntam: coming
• āyāntam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-yā (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (वर्तमान कृदन्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (सूतम्)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (सर्वनाम)

• śaunaka-ādayaḥ: Śaunaka and others
• śaunaka-ādayaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaunaka (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• param: great
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (हर्षम्)

• harṣam: joy
• harṣam: Karma (Object/State)
• Type: Noun
• Root: harṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• samāviṣṭāḥ: filled/overcome (by)
• samāviṣṭāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-viś (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्तृवाचक विशेषण (शौनकादयः)

• papuḥ: they drank
• papuḥ: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pā (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• netraiḥ: with (their) eyes
• netraiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: netra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• su-cetasā: with a good mind; attentively
• su-cetasā: Karaṇa (Instrument/State)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; भाववाचक

• citrāḥ: eager/astonished
• citrāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: citra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (तपस्विनः)

• śrotum: to hear
• śrotum: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्यय (infinitive), प्रयोजनार्थ

• kathāḥ: stories
• kathāḥ: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kathā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• parivavruḥ: they surrounded
• parivavruḥ: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-vṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• tapasvinaḥ: ascetics
• tapasvinaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapasvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Naimiṣāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A forest hermitage assembly: Śaunaka and sages rise with joy as Sūta arrives; their eyes fixed lovingly, they encircle him, eager for wondrous stories.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa)
• Śaunaka
• Ṛṣis

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverent listening to Purāṇic kathā in the company of sages is portrayed as a noble, joy-giving spiritual pursuit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting continues to be Naimiṣāraṇya, though the verse emphasizes the assembly rather than a specific tīrtha act.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed; the implied observance is kathā-śravaṇa (listening to sacred discourse).