Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

कृष्णो धर्मजदूतेन समाहूतः ससंभ्रमः । चतुर्भिरश्वैः संयुक्तं रथमा रुह्य वेगिनम्

Transliteration

kṛṣṇo dharmajadūtena samāhūtaḥ sasaṃbhramaḥ | caturbhiraśvaiḥ saṃyuktaṃ rathamā ruhya veginam

Translation

Summoned by the messenger of Dharmarāja, Kṛṣṇa, with eager haste, mounted a swift chariot yoked with four horses.

Word by Word

• कृष्णः: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• धर्मजदूतेन: by the messenger of Dharmarja (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• धर्मजदूतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मजदूत (प्रातिपदिक; धर्मज + दूत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (धर्मजस्य दूतः)

• समाहूतः: having been summoned
• समाहूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-ह्वा (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः

• ससंभ्रमः: with haste/excitement
• ससंभ्रमः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ससंभ्रम (प्रातिपदिक; सह + संभ्रम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः (संभ्रमेण सह) विशेषणम् (कृष्णः/समाहूतः)

• चतुर्भिः: with four
• चतुर्भिः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (अश्वैः)

• अश्वैः: horses
• अश्वैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• संयुक्तम्: yoked/attached
• संयुक्तम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-युज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषणम् (रथम्)

• रथम्: the chariot
• रथम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• आ: up/onto
• आ: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्ग-सदृश क्रियाविशेषक (preverb/adverb)

• रुह्य: having mounted
• रुह्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुह् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), 'रुह्य' = आरोह्य

• वेगिनम्: swift
• वेगिनम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (रथम्)

Speaker

Narrator

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kṛṣṇa, alerted by Dharmarāja’s messenger, rises with energetic haste and mounts a swift chariot yoked to four horses; dust lifts, reins taut, attendants ready, the road stretching toward Indraprastha.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Dharmaja (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Messenger (dūta)
• Chariot with four horses

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The righteous call is answered promptly—showing readiness to support dharma and sacred undertakings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the focus is on Kṛṣṇa’s arrival for a dharmic royal purpose.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it narrates the summons and Kṛṣṇa’s swift journey.