Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

एकदा तु ततो देवा ब्रह्माणं समुपागताः । ब्राह्मणान्द्रष्टुकामास्ते ब्रह्मविष्णुपुरोगमाः

Transliteration

ekadā tu tato devā brahmāṇaṃ samupāgatāḥ | brāhmaṇāndraṣṭukāmāste brahmaviṣṇupurogamāḥ

Translation

Once, the gods approached Brahmā, with Brahmā and Viṣṇu at their head, for they longed to behold the Brāhmaṇas and their sacred conduct.

Word by Word

• एकदा: once
• एकदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एकदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb: 'once')

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• ततः: then/from there
• ततः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'from there/then')

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahmā
• ब्रह्माणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• समुपागताः: approached
• समुपागताः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+उप+आ+गम् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकालिक-कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्रियाविशेषणार्थे/विधेय (having approached)

• ब्राह्मणान्: the brāhmaṇas
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• द्रष्टुकामाः: desiring to see
• द्रष्टुकामाः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्रष्टु (दृश्-धातोः तुमुन्/infinitive) + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (द्रष्टुं कामः येषाम्); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• ब्रह्मविष्णुपुरोगमाः: with Brahmā and Viṣṇu in front/led by Brahmā and Viṣṇu
• ब्रह्मविष्णुपुरोगमाः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरोगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (ब्रह्म-विष्णू पुरोगमौ येषाम्); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; not explicit in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A divine assembly: devas led by Brahmā and Viṣṇu approach a serene forest hermitage where brāhmaṇas sit in disciplined rows, radiating tapas and learning; the moment is charged with reverent anticipation of darśana.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the gods honor and seek the sight of those established in Vedic dharma, showing the exalted place of sacred learning and conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya (the sacred forest-region) is the implied setting, where dharma and Vedic life are celebrated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription here; it introduces the gods’ intention to witness Brāhmaṇas and their Vedic practices.