Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मण्युवाच । अहं सख्या समं याता ह्यनया राजकन्यया । तपोऽर्थे तव पादांते तद्ब्रूहि तपसो विधिम्

Transliteration

brāhmaṇyuvāca | ahaṃ sakhyā samaṃ yātā hyanayā rājakanyayā | tapo'rthe tava pādāṃte tadbrūhi tapaso vidhim

Translation

La Brāhmaṇī dit : «Je suis venue avec mon amie, cette princesse, à tes pieds pour l’ascèse (tapas). Dis-nous donc la juste méthode du tapas.»

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणी: the Brahmin woman
• ब्राह्मणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — संबोधन-प्रायः (speaker tag)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्शभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सख्या: with (my) female friend
• सख्या: Sahakari (Associate/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• समम्: together
• समम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय — क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• याता: (have) come/gone
• याता: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तरि-प्रयोगे ‘gone/come’

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Emphasis/connection)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — निपात (particle)

• अनया: with this (woman)
• अनया: Sahakari (Associate/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• राजकन्यया: with the princess
• राजकन्यया: Sahakari (Associate/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज + कन्या (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (राज्ञः कन्या)

• तपः: of austerity
• तपः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (अर्थे इत्यनेन सह)

• अर्थे: for the sake (in the purpose)
• अर्थे: Adhikarana (Locus/Purpose context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

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

• पादान्ते: at (your) feet
• पादान्ते: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद + अन्त (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पादस्य अन्तः)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• ब्रूहि: tell (me)
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तपसः: of austerity
• तपसः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• विधिम्: the method/rule
• विधिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Brāhmaṇī

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhartṛyajña

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇī, accompanied by a princess-friend, stands with folded hands at the feet of the sage Bhartṛyajña, requesting instruction in tapas.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇī
• Rājakanyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Approaching the wise with humility and seeking a correct method (vidhi) is essential for tapas to become dharmic and fruitful.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The context is a tīrtha-focused chapter, but this particular verse does not name the site; it emphasizes approaching a revered teacher at a sacred setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The request is for ‘tapas-vidhi’ (rules of austerity); the specific prescriptions follow in subsequent verses.