Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

एवं च रममाणस्तु ऋषीणामाश्रमं महत् । जगाम कौतुकाविष्टो भिक्षार्थं दारुके वने

Transliteration

evaṃ ca ramamāṇastu ṛṣīṇāmāśramaṃ mahat | jagāma kautukāviṣṭo bhikṣārthaṃ dāruke vane

Translation

Ainsi, tandis qu’il se divertissait, saisi de curiosité, il se rendit au grand āśrama des ṛṣi, dans la forêt de Dāruka, afin de demander l’aumône.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• रममाणः: sporting, enjoying
• रममाणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रम् (धातु) + शानच् (प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शानच्-कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (agentive)

• तु: indeed, however
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोधार्थक निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• ऋषीणाम्: of the sages
• ऋषीणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन

• आश्रमम्: hermitage
• आश्रमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन

• महत्: great
• महत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying) आश्रमम्

• जगाम: went
• जगाम: Kriyā (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• कौतुकाविष्टः: possessed by curiosity
• कौतुकाविष्टः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कौतुक (प्रातिपदिक) + आविष्ट (√विश्/आ-विश् धातु, क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (कौतुक-आविष्टः = कौतुकेन आविष्टः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to subject)

• भिक्षार्थम्: for alms
• भिक्षार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भिक्षा (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास; अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण प्रयुक्तम् (purpose-accusative: ‘for the sake of alms’)

• दारुके: in the wooded/wood-filled
• दारुके: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दारुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to vane)

• वने: forest
• वने: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dāruka-vana

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva, moved by playful curiosity, arrives at the sages’ grand hermitage in Dāruka forest seeking alms, initiating the dramatic encounter.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (implied)
• Ṛṣis
• Dāruka Vana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord may appear as a mendicant to reveal hidden pride and to establish deeper dharma beyond externals.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The chapter belongs to Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya; Dāruka Vana is the narrative setting within this sanctified framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bhikṣā (alms) is mentioned as an act within the story, not as a direct prescription.