Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

सुतले किं नु मे कार्यं देवदेव वदस्व मे । तिष्ठामि तव सांनिध्ये नान्यथा वक्तुमर्हसि

Transliteration

sutale kiṃ nu me kāryaṃ devadeva vadasva me | tiṣṭhāmi tava sāṃnidhye nānyathā vaktumarhasi

Translation

«Que dois-je faire à Sutala, ô Dieu des dieux ? Dis-le-moi. Je demeure en Ta présence ; Tu ne dois pas parler autrement.»

Word by Word

• सुतले: in Sutala
• सुतले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (प्रश्नवाचक)

• नु: indeed/then (question particle)
• नु: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रश्न/अनुनयार्थक निपात (interrogative particle)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)

• कार्यम्: task, duty
• कार्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• देवदेव: O God of gods
• देवदेव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• वदस्व: tell (me)
• वदस्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)

• तिष्ठामि: I stay/stand
• तिष्ठामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• सांनिध्ये: in (your) presence
• सांनिध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सांनिध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध (negation particle)

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (adverb: otherwise)

• वक्तुम्: to speak
• वक्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन् (Infinitive), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal)

• अर्हसि: you ought/are fit
• अर्हसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Bali

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Viṣṇu (Devadeva)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bali, humbled yet steadfast, questions Viṣṇu with folded hands: he desires to remain in the Lord’s presence and asks the meaning of Sutala; the Asura court watches in silence.

Characters & Entities

• Bali
• Devadeva
• Sutala
• Sāṃnidhya (divine presence)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A true devotee values the Lord’s presence above any realm, rank, or comfort.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No pilgrimage site is praised; Sutala is referenced as a cosmic realm.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a devotional request for unwavering nearness to the Lord.