Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

तच्छ्रुत्वा वाडवाः सर्वे हर्षव्याकुललोचनाः । श्रीमातां तु समागत्य गृहीत्वा बलिमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

tacchrutvā vāḍavāḥ sarve harṣavyākulalocanāḥ | śrīmātāṃ tu samāgatya gṛhītvā balimuttamam

Translation

L’ayant entendu, tous les Vāḍava, les yeux frémissants de joie, s’approchèrent de Śrīmātā et prirent les offrandes les plus excellentes pour son culte.

Word by Word

• तत्: that (instruction)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; ‘that’ (referring to the instruction)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) = ‘having heard’

• वाडवाः: the Vāḍavas (people)
• वाडवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाडव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण वाडवाः इति

• हर्षव्याकुललोचनाः: whose eyes were agitated with joy
• हर्षव्याकुललोचनाः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + व्याकुल (प्रातिपदिक) + लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘हर्षेण व्याकुलानि लोचनानि येषाम्’

• श्रीमाताम्: the revered Mother (Goddess)
• श्रीमाताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + माता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधसूचक (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• समागत्य: having approached
• समागत्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-गम् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यबन्त (gerund) = ‘having approached/come’

• गृहीत्वा: having taken
• गृहीत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (gerund) = ‘having taken’

• बलिम्: offering
• बलिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent/best
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण बलिम् इति

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator (contextual; likely Sūta-style narration within Brāhma Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śrīmātā-sthāna (implied)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: rājan (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of Vāḍavas moving in a devotional procession toward the Mother’s sanctum, faces bright with joy, carrying trays and pots of offerings; the shrine ahead glows with lamps.

Characters & Entities

• Vāḍavas
• Śrīmātā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Prompt, joyful obedience to divine counsel and sincere offering are hallmarks of effective devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Dharmāraṇya setting is implied; this verse highlights the act of approaching Śrīmātā rather than naming a tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bringing and presenting bali (ritual offerings) to the देवी as part of her propitiation.