Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

भक्त्यानुपतितं दृष्ट्वा चिरादादाय लोचनम् । को भवानित्युवाचेदं धर्मं धीमानपृच्छत

Transliteration

bhaktyānupatitaṃ dṛṣṭvā cirādādāya locanam | ko bhavānityuvācedaṃ dharmaṃ dhīmānapṛcchata

Translation

Le voyant tombé en dévotion, le sage, après un long moment, leva les yeux et dit : «Qui es-tu ?», l’interrogeant ainsi selon le dharma.

Word by Word

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अनुपतितम्: one who had fallen down (in obeisance)
• अनुपतितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + पत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त

• चिरात्: after a long time
• चिरात्: Avyaya (Modifier/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादानार्थक-प्रयोग (ablatival adverb: 'after a long time')

• आदाय: having taken/raised
• आदाय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• लोचनम्: eye(s) (gaze)
• लोचनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (प्रश्न-सर्वनाम)

• भवान्: you (honorific)
• भवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (आदरार्थ-प्रयोगः)

• इति: thus
• इति: Avyaya (Quotative/उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्य-समाप्ति/उद्धरण-चिह्न (quotative particle)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• इदम्: this (statement)
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (सर्वनाम)

• धर्मम्: Dharma (personified)
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• धीमान्: wise
• धीमान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपृच्छत: asked
• अपृच्छत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (the sage’s words reported)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīra āśrama (dialogue locus)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sage slowly opens his eyes after meditation, lifting his gaze with calm gravity; Dharmasuta remains bowed; the atmosphere is charged with quiet authority as the question ‘Who are you?’ is posed.

Characters & Entities

• dhīmān (sage)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes both devotion and discernment: a sage acknowledges devotion yet asks identity and purpose in a proper, measured way.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā (Narmadā) sacred landscape, where saintly presence and dhārmic dialogue are central to tīrtha-mahātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed; the verse emphasizes dhārmic conduct in receiving a devotee—seeing, acknowledging, and inquiring appropriately.