Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

हिमवद्गिरिमासाद्य कदाचित्त्वं वधूसखः । अज्ञानाद्गौतमाभ्याशे विहारमतनोर्मुदा

Transliteration

himavadgirimāsādya kadācittvaṃ vadhūsakhaḥ | ajñānādgautamābhyāśe vihāramatanormudā

Translation

Un jour, parvenu au mont Himālaya, toi—accompagné de ton épouse—par ignorance, tu te livras joyeusement au jeu près du Ṛṣi Gautama.

Word by Word

• हिमवत्-गिरिम्: the Himavat mountain
• हिमवत्-गिरिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमवत् (प्रातिपदिक) + गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (हिमवान् एव गिरिः)

• आसाद्य: having reached
• आसाद्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-√सद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive): having reached/approached

• कदाचित्: once, at some time
• कदाचित्: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (at some time/once)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वधूसखः: friend of the bride/woman
• वधूसखः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वधू (प्रातिपदिक) + सख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वध्वाः सखा)

• अज्ञानात्: out of ignorance
• अज्ञानात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (हेतु), एकवचन

• गौतमाभ्याशे: near Gautama (in Gautama's vicinity)
• गौतमाभ्याशे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौतम (प्रातिपदिक) + अभ्याश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (गौतमस्य अभ्याशः = vicinity of Gautama)

• विहारम्: sport, recreation
• विहारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• अतनोः: you engaged in/performed
• अतनोः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तन् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; रूपम्: अतनोः (you performed/extended)

• मुदा: with joy
• मुदा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्/मुदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; भाववाचक (with joy)

Speaker

Dhyānakāṣṭha (Bhṛgu-line sage) (continuing admonition/prophetic narration to the king)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gautama-āśrama (Himālaya vicinity)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/assembly

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cursed king, accompanied by his wife, reaches the snowy Himālaya; they wander joyfully near Gautama’s hermitage, unaware of the sanctity and rules of the sage’s vicinity.

Characters & Entities

• Himālaya (Himavat)
• Gautama Ṛṣi
• King (Dharmagupta)
• Wife (vadhū)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ignorance near sanctified beings and places can precipitate moral error; sacred proximity demands heightened restraint and awareness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse name-checks Himavat and Gautama’s vicinity as sacred geography, while remaining within the Setukhaṇḍa narrative arc.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it situates a past event to explain or foreshadow karmic consequences.