Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

ततः शमीकः स्वं शिष्यं प्राह गौरमुखाभिधम् । भो गौ मुख गत्वा त्वं वद भूपं परीक्षितम्

Transliteration

tataḥ śamīkaḥ svaṃ śiṣyaṃ prāha gauramukhābhidham | bho gau mukha gatvā tvaṃ vada bhūpaṃ parīkṣitam

Translation

Alors Śamīka s’adressa à son disciple nommé Gauramukha : « Ô Gauramukha, va et avertis le roi Parīkṣit. »

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनन्तरं (then/thereupon)

• शमीकः: Śamīka
• शमीकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शमीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• स्वम्: his own
• स्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; शिष्यं इति विशेषणम् (‘own’)

• शिष्यम्: disciple
• शिष्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह्/ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम

• गौरमुखाभिधम्: named Gauramukha
• गौरमुखाभिधम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गौरमुख + अभिध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गौरमुख इति अभिधः = ‘named Gauramukha’)

• भो: O!
• भो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भो (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• गौ: O Gau (name)
• गौ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; (नामरूपेण)

• मुख: O Mukha (name)
• मुख: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; (सम्बोधन-रूपेण)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive) ‘having gone’

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वद: tell/say
• वद: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम

• भूपम्: the king
• भूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• परीक्षितम्: Parīkṣit
• परीक्षितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परीक्षित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेष-नाम (proper name)

Speaker

Śamīka

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śamīka appoints Gauramukha; the disciple stands with folded hands, ready to depart; distant palace silhouette suggests Parīkṣit’s court.

Characters & Entities

• Śamīka
• Gauramukha
• Parīkṣit

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

After wrongdoing, dharma requires responsible communication and timely corrective action rather than concealment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified in this verse; it continues the Setukhaṇḍa narrative context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an instruction to deliver a message to the king.