Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच । भगवंस्तात सर्वज्ञ ब्रूहि गुह्यमनुत्तमम्

Transliteration

śrīśuka uvāca | bhagavaṃstāta sarvajña brūhi guhyamanuttamam

Translation

Śrī Śuka dit : «Ô Bienheureux, père bien-aimé, toi qui sais tout, révèle-moi le secret sans égal, le plus sublime».

Word by Word

• श्रीशुकः: Śrī Śuka
• श्रीशुकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीशुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (श्रीः+शुकः)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• भगवन्: O Blessed one / O Lord
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• तात: O dear father / O revered one
• तात: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• सर्वज्ञ: O omniscient one
• सर्वज्ञ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सर्वं जानाति इति)

• ब्रूहि: tell (me)
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• गुह्यम्: secret (teaching)
• गुह्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed, supreme
• अनुत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; गुह्यम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Śuka

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vyāsa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A quiet āśrama setting: Śuka, youthful and radiant, stands with folded hands before Vyāsa seated on kuśa-grass, manuscripts nearby; the moment is charged with reverent inquiry.

Characters & Entities

• Śuka
• Vyāsa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The highest wisdom is received through sincere inquiry directed to a qualified teacher.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None directly; this is the dialogue portion embedded within Setukhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a request for esoteric instruction.