Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 84

Devanagari script

अप्सरस ऊचुः । योग्यं पृच्छसि कौन्तेय पुनः पश्योत्तरां दिशम्

Transliteration

apsarasa ūcuḥ | yogyaṃ pṛcchasi kaunteya punaḥ paśyottarāṃ diśam

Translation

The Apsarases said: “O son of Kuntī, you ask what is fitting. Look again toward the northern direction.”

Word by Word

• अप्सरसः: the Apsarases (celestial nymphs)
• अप्सरसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• योग्यम्: a proper (thing)
• योग्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• पृच्छसि: you ask
• पृच्छसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• कौन्तेय: O son of Kunti
• कौन्तेय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौन्तेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• पश्य: see/look
• पश्य: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• उत्तराम्: northern
• उत्तराम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (of ‘दिशम्’)

• दिशम्: direction
• दिशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Apsarases

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kaunteya (son of Kuntī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Apsarases respond: the question is proper; they instruct the Kaurava/Pāṇḍava prince (Kaunteya) to look again to the north, implying an imminent epiphany or sight of a guarded shrine/manifestation.

Characters & Entities

• Apsaras
• Kaunteya (Arjuna)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When inquiry is righteous, divine beings guide the seeker toward the next step of revelation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; the northward indication signals an upcoming revelation connected to sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an instruction for darśana (seeing/turning attention) in a sacred direction.