Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

कियती वर्तते वेला गतस्य पृथिवीपतेः । मार्गेणानेन मे ब्रूहि येन गच्छामि पृष्ठतः

Transliteration

kiyatī vartate velā gatasya pṛthivīpateḥ | mārgeṇānena me brūhi yena gacchāmi pṛṣṭhataḥ

Translation

«Combien de temps s’est écoulé depuis le départ du roi ? Dis-le-moi selon cette route, afin que je puisse le suivre par derrière.»

Word by Word

• कियती: how much/what extent (fem.)
• कियती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कियत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (interrogative adjective)

• वर्तते: exists/remains/continues
• वर्तते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• वेला: time/period
• वेला: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• गतस्य: of (him) who has gone
• गतस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) + गत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• पृथिवीपतेः: of the king (lord of the earth)
• पृथिवीपतेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पृथिव्याः पतिः)

• मार्गेण: by the path
• मार्गेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अनेन: by this
• अनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम विशेषणम्

• मे: to me/for me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) एकवचन (enclitic)

• ब्रूहि: tell (me)
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• गच्छामि: I go
• गच्छामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• पृष्ठतः: from behind/behind
• पृष्ठतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृष्ठतस् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place/direction)

Speaker

Attendant/servant (sevaka) addressing the arrow-maker

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas/ṛṣis (audience)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A royal attendant or seeker on a dusty road questions a local about how long ago the king departed and which route he took, indicating haste and devotion to duty.

Characters & Entities

• pṛthivīpati
• mārga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse functions narratively: it sets up a pursuit and impending dialogue, through which dharma or insight is typically revealed.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this question; it concerns the king’s route.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.