Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

एवमुक्तस्ततः सोऽथ धर्मराजेन धीमता । मार्कण्डः प्रत्युवाचेदमृषिसंघैः समावृतः

Transliteration

evamuktastataḥ so'tha dharmarājena dhīmatā | mārkaṇḍaḥ pratyuvācedamṛṣisaṃghaiḥ samāvṛtaḥ

Translation

Ainsi interpellé par le sage Dharmarāja, Mārkaṇḍa répondit alors, entouré d’assemblées de ṛṣis.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• उक्तः: spoken to, addressed
• उक्तः: Karta (Subject; 'he, having been addressed')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे कर्तरि-विशेषण (past participle, masculine nominative singular)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अपादान/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'then/from there')

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine, nominative, singular)

• अथ: then, next
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (sequence particle)

• धर्मराजेन: by Dharmarāja (Yama)
• धर्मराजेन: Karana (Agent in passive/Instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मराज (प्रातिपदिक; धर्म + राज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (masculine, instrumental, singular)

• धीमता: wise
• धीमता: Karana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (masculine, instrumental, singular; adjective qualifying धर्मराजेन)

• मार्कण्डः: Mārkaṇḍa
• मार्कण्डः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine, nominative, singular)

• प्रत्युवाच: replied
• प्रत्युवाच: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-उप-√वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्णभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (perfect, 3rd person, singular, parasmaipada)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object of speech)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, accusative, singular)

• ऋषिसंघैः: by/with groups of sages
• ऋषिसंघैः: Karana (Accompaniment/Instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि-संघ (प्रातिपदिक; ऋषि + संघ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (masculine, instrumental, plural)

• समावृतः: surrounded
• समावृतः: Karta (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-√वृ (धातु) → समावृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (past participle, masculine nominative singular; adjective qualifying मार्कण्डः)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dharmarāja seated or standing respectfully before sage Mārkaṇḍeya; a ring of sages around them; the moment just before the teaching begins—hands raised in explanation, attentive faces.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmarāja
• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Ṛṣis (sages)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic wisdom is taught in accountable settings—before sages—signifying scrutiny, lineage, and dharmic authority.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is praised in this narrative transition verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it introduces the forthcoming teaching.