Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

एतच्छ्रुतं तु वचनं पद्मनाभस्य भारत । चिन्तयामास भगवान्सप्तर्षीन्हितकाम्यया

Transliteration

etacchrutaṃ tu vacanaṃ padmanābhasya bhārata | cintayāmāsa bhagavānsaptarṣīnhitakāmyayā

Translation

Ô Bhārata, ayant entendu ces paroles de Padmanābha, le Seigneur Bienheureux se recueillit, désirant le bien des Sept Ṛṣis.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally

• श्रुतम्: heard
• श्रुतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; particle/conjunction (emphatic/contrast)

• वचनम्: speech/statement
• वचनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• पद्मनाभस्य: of Padmanābha (Viṣṇu)
• पद्मनाभस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्मनाभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• भारत: O Bhārata
• भारत: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

• चिन्तयामास: he pondered/considered
• चिन्तयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु) + यामास (परस्मैपद-परिप्रयोग)
• Form: लिट् (परिप्रयोग/परफ्रास्टिक परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• सप्तर्षीन्: the seven sages
• सप्तर्षीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (सप्त + ऋषयः)

• हितकाम्यया: with the desire for welfare
• हितकाम्यया: Hetu (Cause/Motive/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित + काम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; हेतु/प्रयोजनार्थे (instrumental of motive); तत्पुरुष (हितस्य काम्या)

Speaker

Narrator (addressing Bhārata; describing Brahmā’s contemplation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrtha sphere (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata / King (addressed as 'Bhārata')

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Padmanābha, serene and contemplative, sits in a divine setting, hearing a message and then turning inward in thought, with subtle presence of the Seven Ṛṣis as luminous figures in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Padmanābha (Viṣṇu)
• Brahmā
• Saptarṣi
• Bhārata

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True governance of creation includes concern for the welfare (hita) of sages and upholders of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is praised in this verse; it continues the creation narrative that later grounds sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the emphasis is on intention (hitakāmyā) and cosmic planning.