Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

कस्य पुत्रो महाभाग किमर्थं कृतवांस्तपः । एतद्विस्तरतः सर्वं कथयस्व ममानघ

Transliteration

kasya putro mahābhāga kimarthaṃ kṛtavāṃstapaḥ | etadvistarataḥ sarvaṃ kathayasva mamānagha

Translation

«Ô bienheureux, de qui est-il le fils, et dans quel dessein a-t-il accompli l’austérité (tapas) ? Dis-moi tout cela en détail, ô sans faute.»

Word by Word

• कस्य: of whom/whose
• कस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-रूप (pronominal form)

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन-प्रयोग (Vocative sense), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), एकवचन (Singular); समासः कर्मधारयः (महान् भागः यस्य)

• किमर्थम्: for what purpose
• किमर्थम्: Hetu/Prayojana (Reason/Purpose/हेतु-प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable interrogative adverb); समासः तत्पुरुषः (किम्-अर्थम् = for what purpose)

• कृतवान्: did/has done
• कृतवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (past active participle/क्तवतु-प्रत्यय, क्तवतु), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (agentive)

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• विस्तरतः: in detail
• विस्तरतः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb), तसिल्-प्रत्यय (ablatival adverbial: 'in detail/at length')

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• कथयस्व: tell, relate
• कथयस्व: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु, णिच् causative of कथ्)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• मम: to me / of me
• मम: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• अनघ: O sinless one
• अनघ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन-प्रयोग (Vocative sense), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Yudhiṣṭhira

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) context (implied by Revākhaṇḍa)

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Unnamed interlocutor (questioner)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A respectful listener addresses a venerable sage, palms joined, requesting the full story of a person’s lineage and the purpose of his austerities; the setting suggests an āśrama or tīrtha-side discourse.

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Pippalāda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic learning proceeds through humble inquiry into lineage, motive, and tapas behind saintly attainments.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly, the question sets up the legend explaining the sanctity of Pippaleśvara tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it requests detailed narration.