Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 39
Devanagari script
वक्तुमर्हसि धर्मज्ञ मम सर्वार्थसाधकम्
Transliteration
vaktumarhasi dharmajña mama sarvārthasādhakam
Translation
हे धर्मज्ञ! जो मेरे लिए समस्त पुरुषार्थों को सिद्ध करने वाला है, वह आप कहने योग्य हैं।
Word by Word
वक्तुम्to speak
वक्तुम्:
Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
TypeVerb
Root√vac (धातु) + tumun (कृदन्त)
Formतुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-रूप (infinitive): ‘to speak’
अर्हसिyou ought, you are fit
अर्हसि:
Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√arh (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (2nd person singular, present)
धर्मज्ञO knower of dharma
धर्मज्ञ:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootdharma + jña (प्रातिपदिक); समास
Formपुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Vocative, Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘धर्मस्य ज्ञः’
ममmy
मम:
Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम; षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Pronoun, Genitive, Singular)
सर्व-अर्थ-साधकम्that which accomplishes all aims
सर्व-अर्थ-साधकम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootsarva + artha + sādhaka (प्रातिपदिक); समास
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘सर्वेषाम् अर्थानां साधकम्’ (accomplisher of all aims); विशेषण (qualifying implied ‘वचनम्/उपदेशम्’)
Speaker
An unnamed questioner (listener not identified in snippet)
Skanda Dialogue
Listener: Śaunaka and other ṛṣis (frame typical)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A seeker with folded hands addresses a seated dharma-knower; the posture conveys humility and readiness for instruction; a manuscript or vīṇā (Sarasvatī association) hints at forthcoming ‘sāra’.
FAQs
A sincere seeker requests decisive guidance: the single most effective dharmic teaching that fulfills life’s highest goals.
None; it is a request for instruction.
None; it is an appeal to a dharma-expert for the supreme means.