Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 56
Devanagari script
ततः ससंभ्रमाः सर्वे ग्रामवृद्धाः सभाजनाः । मुहूर्त्तं मौनमालंब्य भीतास्तस्थुरधोमुखाः
Transliteration
tataḥ sasaṃbhramāḥ sarve grāmavṛddhāḥ sabhājanāḥ | muhūrttaṃ maunamālaṃbya bhītāstasthuradhomukhāḥ
Translation
Alors tous les anciens du village et l’assemblée, saisis d’effroi, gardèrent un moment le silence et demeurèrent craintifs, le visage baissé.
Word by Word
ततःthen
ततः:
Adhikarana (Discourse-time/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottataḥ (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; क्रम/हेतुवाचक (then/thereupon)
ससम्भ्रमाःagitated
ससम्भ्रमाः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootsa- (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + sambhrama (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘स’ उपसर्गार्थक (with agitation)
सर्वेall
सर्वे:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootsarva (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Nominative plural, masculine)
ग्रामवृद्धाःvillage elders
ग्रामवृद्धाः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootgrāma (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛddha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष समास (ग्रामस्य वृद्धाः/ग्रामे वृद्धाः); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Nominative plural, masculine)
सभाजनाःassembly people
सभाजनाः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootsabhā (प्रातिपदिक) + jana (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष समास (सभायाः जनाः); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Nominative plural, masculine)
मुहूर्त्तम्for a moment
मुहूर्त्तम्:
Adhikarana (Time-span/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootmuhūrta (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कालावधि-द्वितीया (accusative of duration)
मौनम्silence
मौनम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootmauna (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular, neuter)
आलम्ब्यhaving adopted
आलम्ब्य:
Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
TypeVerb
Rootā + lamb (धातु) + lyap (कृदन्त)
Formल्यप्-प्रत्यय कृदन्त (gerund): ‘having resorted to/taking up’
भीताःafraid
भीताः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootbhī (धातु) + ta (कृदन्त)
Formकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Nominative plural, masculine)
तस्थुःstood
तस्थुः:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootsthā (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद (perfect, 3rd pl.): ‘stood’
अधोमुखाःwith faces downcast
अधोमुखाः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootadhaḥ (अव्यय) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय-समास (अधः मुखं येषाम्/अधोमुखाः); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Nominative plural, masculine)
Speaker
Narrator (contextual)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: Village elders and assembly members, startled and ashamed, fall into a tense silence; heads bowed, hands lowered, bodies rigid with fear.
FAQs
Awe and humility arise when people recognize they were about to commit adharma; silence signals a pause for conscience and correction.
No tīrtha is mentioned.
None; the verse describes a reaction of fear and silence.