Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

ततो भीष्मेण प्रोक्तां च नरैः श्रुत्वा युधिष्ठिरः । रथातिरथसंख्यां तु राज्ञां मध्ये वचोऽब्रवीत्

Transliteration

tato bhīṣmeṇa proktāṃ ca naraiḥ śrutvā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | rathātirathasaṃkhyāṃ tu rājñāṃ madhye vaco'bravīt

Translation

Alors Yudhiṣṭhira, ayant entendu des hommes ce que Bhīṣma avait proclamé—le décompte des guerriers classés comme ratha et atiratha—prononça une parole au milieu des rois.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/अनन्तरबोधक अव्यय (then/thereafter)

• भीष्मेण: by Bhīṣma
• भीष्मेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• प्रोक्ताम्: spoken (statement)
• प्रोक्ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-उच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular); कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘said/spoken’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (and)

• नरैः: by men / by the people
• नरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (having heard)

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• रथातिरथसंख्याम्: the count of chariot-warriors and great chariot-warriors
• रथातिरथसंख्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ + अतिरथ + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular); समासः—रथानां च अतिरथानां च संख्या (समाहार/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषबोधक अव्यय (but/indeed)

• राज्ञाम्: of kings
• राज्ञाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Genitive plural)

• मध्ये: in the midst
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Locative singular)

• वचः: words/speech
• वचः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd person singular)

Speaker

Sūta (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kurukṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A council-like moment amid the encamped kings: Yudhiṣṭhira stands or sits poised, listening to reports of Bhīṣma’s classifications; surrounding rājās attentive; banners and chariots in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Bhīṣma
• Kings (rājānaḥ)
• Ratha
• Atiratha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma-guided leadership listens, assesses strength and responsibility, and then speaks for the common good.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None directly; the setting remains the war-council context connected to Kurukṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse concerns military classification and deliberation.