Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

को भवान्किमिहायातः किंचित्कार्यं वदस्व नः

Transliteration

ko bhavānkimihāyātaḥ kiṃcitkāryaṃ vadasva naḥ

Translation

« Qui es-tu, et pourquoi es-tu venu ici ? Dis-nous quelle affaire t’amène. »

Word by Word

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम (Interrogative pronoun)

• भवान्: you (honored sir)
• भवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; आदरार्थ-पुरुषवाचक सर्वनाम (honorific pronoun)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• आयातः: has come
• आयातः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि/भूतकालिक क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘आगतः/आयातः’

• किंचित्: some, a certain
• किंचित्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किंचित् (अव्यय/सर्वनाम)
• Form: अव्यय; अल्पपरिमाणवाचक (indefinite ‘some/a little’)

• कार्यं: task, purpose
• कार्यं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• वदस्व: tell, speak
• वदस्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नः: to us / our
• नः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th) बहुवचन (Plural); सर्वनाम

Speaker

People (lokāḥ)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāṃpilya (community-gatekeeping moment)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of townspeople address the king; their posture is respectful yet inquisitive; the king stands composed, ready to answer.

Characters & Entities

• Indradyumna
• People of the region

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A seeker’s journey begins with declaring purpose; dharma is pursued consciously, not accidentally.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The setting remains Kāṃpilya; this verse is conversational and does not praise a tīrtha directly.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.