Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

कथं द्यूतजिताः पार्था मम पूर्वपितामहाः । आसमुद्रां महीं विप्र भ्रमन्तस्तीर्थलोभतः

Transliteration

kathaṃ dyūtajitāḥ pārthā mama pūrvapitāmahāḥ | āsamudrāṃ mahīṃ vipra bhramantastīrthalobhataḥ

Translation

Comment les Pārtha —mes ancêtres, vaincus au jeu de dés— errèrent-ils, ô brāhmane, sur la terre jusqu’aux mers qui l’encerclent, poussés par le désir des lieux saints ?

Word by Word

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (interrogative adverb)

• द्यूतजिताः: defeated in gambling
• द्यूतजिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्यूत (प्रातिपदिक) + जि (धातु) + त (क्त, कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘द्यूतेन जिताः’ (defeated in gambling)

• पार्थाः: the Pārthas (sons of Pṛthā)
• पार्थाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी एकवचन

• पूर्वपितामहाः: former grandfathers; ancestors
• पूर्वपितामहाः: Apposition (Samanadhikarana/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘पूर्वाः पितामहाः’

• आसमुद्राम्: up to the ocean; ocean-bounded
• आसमुद्राम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः ‘समुद्रपर्यन्ताम्’ (up to the sea)

• महीम्: the earth; land
• महीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• विप्र: O brāhmaṇa
• विप्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th) एकवचन

• भ्रमन्तः: wandering
• भ्रमन्तः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन

• तीर्थलोभतः: out of desire for holy places
• तीर्थलोभतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + लोभ (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तसिल्, अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय; हेतुवाचक (ablatival adverb) ‘लोभात्’

Speaker

Janamejaya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The question evokes the Pāṇḍavas after the dice defeat, wandering across the whole earth to the seas, driven by longing for holy places; a mental panorama of roads, forests, rivers, and distant coasts.

Characters & Entities

• Janamejaya
• Pāṇḍavas
• Pārtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even after downfall and misfortune, dharmic recovery is pursued through tīrtha-yātrā and disciplined wandering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is named; the question anticipates a catalogue of sacred places in the Revā Khaṇḍa tradition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pilgrimage motivated by tīrtha-seeking (tīrtha-lobha) is presented as a dharmic response to adversity.