Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 66
Devanagari script
अतः परं तु यच्छ्रेयं कर्तव्यं प्रोन्नतिप्रदम् । ततो भेमिस्तमालिंग्य पुत्रं वचनमब्रवीत्
Transliteration
ataḥ paraṃ tu yacchreyaṃ kartavyaṃ pronnatipradam | tato bhemistamāliṃgya putraṃ vacanamabravīt
Translation
«À présent, dis-nous ce qu’il y a de meilleur à accomplir, ce qui donne l’élévation et l’excellence véritables.» Alors Bhaimī étreignit son fils et dit ces paroles.
Word by Word
अतःtherefore
अतः:
Hetu/Prayojana (Cause/Reason)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअतः (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/तस्मात्-अर्थे (indeclinable; ‘therefore/from this’)
परम्further/next
परम्:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययीभावप्रायम्; क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (indeclinable/adverbial use: ‘further/next’)
तुbut/indeed
तु:
Sambandha (Discourse particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (particle: ‘but/indeed’)
यत्which/that
यत्:
Viśeṣya-sambandha (Relative connector)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative sg; relative pronoun)
श्रेयम्the better/good
श्रेयम्:
Karma/Viśeṣya (Object/that which is good)
TypeNoun
Rootश्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nom/acc sg)
कर्तव्यम्to be done
कर्तव्यम्:
Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (Predicative qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootकृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
Formतव्यत्-कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (gerundive; neuter nom/acc sg; ‘to be done’)
प्रोन्नतिप्रदम्granting advancement
प्रोन्नतिप्रदम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of कर्तव्यम्/श्रेयम्)
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रोन्नति (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (प्रोन्नतेः प्रदम् = ‘giver of elevation’)
ततःthen
ततः:
Kāla/Anantarya (Temporal sequence)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; तस्मात्/तदनन्तरम्-अर्थे (indeclinable: ‘then/thereupon’)
भेमिःBhemi (proper name)
भेमिः:
Karta (Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootभेमि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine, nominative sg)
तम्him
तम्:
Karma (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (masculine, accusative sg)
आलिङ्ग्यhaving embraced
आलिङ्ग्य:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootआ + लिङ्ग् (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having embraced)
पुत्रम्son
पुत्रम्:
Karma (Object of आलिङ्ग्य)
TypeNoun
Rootपुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (masculine, accusative sg)
वचनम्words/speech
वचनम्:
Karma (Object of अब्रवीत्)
TypeNoun
Rootवचन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, accusative sg)
अब्रवीत्said/spoke
अब्रवीत्:
Kriyā (Main verb)
TypeVerb
Rootब्रू (धातु)
Formलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (imperfect, 3rd sg, parasmaipada)
Speaker
Narrator (Lomaharṣaṇa/Sūta) describing Bhaimi’s response
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A mother (Bhaimī) embraces her heroic son in a domestic yet solemn moment, then speaks with gravity, initiating a dharmic quest.
Characters & Entities
B
BhaimiS
son (later Barbarīka)FAQs
Dharma grows through guidance: elders respond to a sincere quest for śreyas with instruction rooted in affection and responsibility.
None.
None; it introduces counsel about what should be done next.