Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 66
Devanagari script
अतः परं तु यच्छ्रेयं कर्तव्यं प्रोन्नतिप्रदम् । ततो भेमिस्तमालिंग्य पुत्रं वचनमब्रवीत्
Transliteration
ataḥ paraṃ tu yacchreyaṃ kartavyaṃ pronnatipradam | tato bhemistamāliṃgya putraṃ vacanamabravīt
Translation
“Now then, tell us what is best to be done—what grants true rise and excellence.” Thereupon Bhaimī embraced his son and spoke these words.
Word by Word
अतःtherefore
अतः:
Hetu/Prayojana (Cause/Reason)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअतः (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/तस्मात्-अर्थे (indeclinable; ‘therefore/from this’)
परम्further/next
परम्:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययीभावप्रायम्; क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (indeclinable/adverbial use: ‘further/next’)
तुbut/indeed
तु:
Sambandha (Discourse particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (particle: ‘but/indeed’)
यत्which/that
यत्:
Viśeṣya-sambandha (Relative connector)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative sg; relative pronoun)
श्रेयम्the better/good
श्रेयम्:
Karma/Viśeṣya (Object/that which is good)
TypeNoun
Rootश्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nom/acc sg)
कर्तव्यम्to be done
कर्तव्यम्:
Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (Predicative qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootकृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
Formतव्यत्-कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (gerundive; neuter nom/acc sg; ‘to be done’)
प्रोन्नतिप्रदम्granting advancement
प्रोन्नतिप्रदम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of कर्तव्यम्/श्रेयम्)
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रोन्नति (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (प्रोन्नतेः प्रदम् = ‘giver of elevation’)
ततःthen
ततः:
Kāla/Anantarya (Temporal sequence)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; तस्मात्/तदनन्तरम्-अर्थे (indeclinable: ‘then/thereupon’)
भेमिःBhemi (proper name)
भेमिः:
Karta (Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootभेमि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine, nominative sg)
तम्him
तम्:
Karma (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (masculine, accusative sg)
आलिङ्ग्यhaving embraced
आलिङ्ग्य:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootआ + लिङ्ग् (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having embraced)
पुत्रम्son
पुत्रम्:
Karma (Object of आलिङ्ग्य)
TypeNoun
Rootपुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (masculine, accusative sg)
वचनम्words/speech
वचनम्:
Karma (Object of अब्रवीत्)
TypeNoun
Rootवचन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, accusative sg)
अब्रवीत्said/spoke
अब्रवीत्:
Kriyā (Main verb)
TypeVerb
Rootब्रू (धातु)
Formलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (imperfect, 3rd sg, parasmaipada)
Speaker
Narrator (Lomaharṣaṇa/Sūta) describing Bhaimi’s response
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A mother (Bhaimī) embraces her heroic son in a domestic yet solemn moment, then speaks with gravity, initiating a dharmic quest.
Characters & Entities
B
BhaimiS
son (later Barbarīka)FAQs
Dharma grows through guidance: elders respond to a sincere quest for śreyas with instruction rooted in affection and responsibility.
None.
None; it introduces counsel about what should be done next.