Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

वसिष्ठं चाग्रतः कृत्वा महामांडलिकैर्नृपैः । पुनश्चरविधिं कृत्वा प्रस्थितश्चोत्तरां दिशम्

Transliteration

vasiṣṭhaṃ cāgrataḥ kṛtvā mahāmāṃḍalikairnṛpaiḥ | punaścaravidhiṃ kṛtvā prasthitaścottarāṃ diśam

Translation

Plaçant Vasiṣṭha à l’avant, accompagné de grands rois mandaliques, et après avoir accompli le rite prescrit de punaścaraṇa, il se mit en route vers le quartier du nord.

Word by Word

• वसिष्ठम्: Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Acc. sg.)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अग्रतः: in front
• अग्रतः: Adhikaraṇa (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of place)

• कृत्वा: having made/placed
• कृत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; धातु: कृ

• महामाण्डलिकैः: with great feudatory lords
• महामाण्डलिकैः: Sahakāraka (Accompaniment/Instrumental association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + माण्डलिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महान्तः माण्डलिकाः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Instr. pl.)

• नृपैः: with kings
• नृपैः: Sahakāraka (Accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Instr. pl.)

• पुनश्चरविधिम्: the rite of punaścaraṇa
• पुनश्चरविधिम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुनश्चर (प्रातिपदिक) + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पुनश्चरस्य विधिः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Acc. sg.)

• कृत्वा: having performed
• कृत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; धातु: कृ

• प्रस्थितः: departed
• प्रस्थितः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) ‘प्रस्थित’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nom. sg.)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• उत्तराम्: northern
• उत्तराम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Acc. sg.); विशेषणम्

• दिशम्: direction
• दिशम्: Karma (Goal as object of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Acc. sg.)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator; contextually Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa style narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A royal procession begins: Vasiṣṭha walks at the head with staff and matted locks; behind him Rāma with allied kings, after completing punaścaraṇa, turns toward the northern road.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Vasiṣṭha
• Mahāmāṃḍalika kings

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even royal power is subordinated to dharma: the king journeys under the guidance of a guru and with disciplined observance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader destination is Dharmāraṇya’s tīrtha-region; this verse highlights the righteous preparation and guided travel toward it.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Punaścara-vidhi (punaścaraṇa): a regulated religious observance commonly involving mantra-japa with supporting disciplines.