Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

विप्र उवाच । मुनिः कपिलनामाहं नारदाय निवेद्यताम् । आगतः प्रार्थनायैव तच्छ्रुत्वाहमथाब्रवम्

Transliteration

vipra uvāca | muniḥ kapilanāmāhaṃ nāradāya nivedyatām | āgataḥ prārthanāyaiva tacchrutvāhamathābravam

Translation

Le brahmane dit : « Je suis le sage nommé Kapila ; que cela soit rapporté à Nārada. Je suis venu uniquement pour formuler une requête. » L’ayant entendu, je répondis alors.

Word by Word

• विप्रः: the brāhmaṇa
• विप्रः: Karta (Speaker/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• मुनिः: a sage
• मुनिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कपिलनाम: named Kapila
• कपिलनाम: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कपिल + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कपिलस्य नाम)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नारदाय: to Nārada
• नारदाय: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन

• निवेद्यताम्: let (it) be reported/announced
• निवेद्यताम्: Kriya (Injunctive action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + वेद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive)

• आगतः: having come
• आगतः: Visheshana (Qualifier of अहम्/मुनिः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रार्थनायैव: for a request only
• प्रार्थनायैव: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रार्थना (प्रातिपदिक) + एव (अव्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन; एव = निपात (emphatic particle)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/thereupon)

• अब्रवम्: I said
• अब्रवम्: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Kapila (as ‘vipra uvāca’); followed by Nārada’s narration

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Implied audience; message intended for Nārada

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A calm hermitage or assembly: Kapila introduces himself to a brāhmaṇa intermediary, requesting that his message be conveyed to Nārada; the listener responds with attentive composure.

Characters & Entities

• Kapila
• Nārada

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sages approach with purposeful requests tied to dharma; recognizing and responding to them becomes a path of merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha assembly setting where Kapila arrives and initiates a dharmic request to Nārada.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A forthcoming prārthanā (petition) connected to dāna/meritorious giving is introduced.