Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

ततस्तान्ब्रवं प्रश्रानहं द्वादश पूर्वकान् । श्रुत्वा ते मामवो चंत लीलायंतो मुनीश्वराः

Transliteration

tatastānbravaṃ praśrānahaṃ dvādaśa pūrvakān | śrutvā te māmavo caṃta līlāyaṃto munīśvarāḥ

Translation

Then I addressed those twelve elders with my questions. Hearing me, the best of sages answered—almost playfully, as though it were a light matter to them.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: then)

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन — Accusative plural

• ब्रवम्: I said
• ब्रवम्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन — Imperfect, 1st sg

• प्रश्रान्: questions
• प्रश्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रश्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन — Accusative plural

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — Nominative singular

• द्वादश: twelve
• द्वादश: Karma (Object-quantifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; (agreeing with प्रश्नान्) द्वितीया बहुवचनार्थे

• पूर्वकान्: preceding/earlier
• पूर्वकान्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन — Accusative plural (qualifying प्रश्नान्)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त) — Absolutive ‘having heard’

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

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — Accusative singular

• अवोचन्त: spoke/said
• अवोचन्त: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — Imperfect, 3rd pl

• लीलायन्तः: sporting/playfully
• लीलायन्तः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लीला + यत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — Present participle (शतृ) ‘sporting/playing’

• मुनीश्वराः: lords among sages
• मुनीश्वराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — Nominative plural; समासः मुनीनां ईश्वराः

Speaker

Narrator (within Sūta-style narration in Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The twelve elders (munīśvarāḥ)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The questioner respectfully presents a set of twelve questions to twelve venerable sages; the sages smile gently and respond with effortless composure, as if in play.

Characters & Entities

• munīśvarāḥ (great sages)
• dvādaśa pūrvakāḥ (twelve elders)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True wisdom answers even difficult questions with ease; the sage’s mastery appears effortless and calm.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it frames a didactic dialogue within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None here; the verse introduces a Q&A exchange.