Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

इदं पूर्वमिदं पश्चाद्वक्तव्यं यत्क्रमेण हि । क्रमयोगं तमप्याहुर्वाक्यतत्तविदो बुधाः

Transliteration

idaṃ pūrvamidaṃ paścādvaktavyaṃ yatkrameṇa hi | kramayogaṃ tamapyāhurvākyatattavido budhāḥ

Translation

That which should be stated first and that which should be stated afterward—when expressed in proper order—this too the wise who know the truth of discourse call “sequence” (kramayoga).

Word by Word

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदं (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• पूर्वम्: first; earlier
• पूर्वम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: काल/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'first/before')

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदं (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'after/afterwards')

• वक्तव्यम्: is to be said
• वक्तव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligative); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relativizer/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय (relative particle: 'which/that')

• क्रमेण: in sequence; orderly
• क्रमेण: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावेन (adverbial instrumental: 'in order/ क्रमशः')

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चयार्थक-निपात (particle: 'indeed/for')

• क्रमयोगम्: connection/orderly arrangement
• क्रमयोगम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक) + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तम्: that
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-निपात (particle: 'also')

• आहुः: they say
• आहुः: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• वाक्यतत्त्वविदः: knowers of the truth of sentence(-structure)
• वाक्यतत्त्वविदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + विद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• बुधाः: the wise
• बुधाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Satyavrata

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/śrotṛs (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim’s ritual sequence shown as a left-to-right narrative frieze: saṅkalpa, bathing, offering water, temple darśana, giving charity.

Characters & Entities

• Satyavrata

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual instruction gains power when delivered in the right order—structure supports understanding and practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the focus is on the craft of dharmic exposition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it teaches an instructional discipline: speak in proper sequence.