Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

अनुसर्प्यमाणा बहुभिः पुरुषैर्भरतर्षभ । ते तस्यावसथे लोप्त्रं न्यदधुः कुरुनन्दन

Transliteration

anusarpyamāṇā bahubhiḥ puruṣairbharatarṣabha | te tasyāvasathe loptraṃ nyadadhuḥ kurunandana

Translation

Wahai banteng di antara keturunan Bhārata, dikejar banyak orang, mereka meletakkan harta curian itu di kediaman sang pertapa, wahai kebanggaan Kuru.

Word by Word

• अनुसर्प्यमाणाः: being followed / pursued
• अनुसर्प्यमाणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु-सृप् (धातु) + यमान (शानच्/यमान)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि कृदन्त (present passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• बहुभिः: by many
• बहुभिः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying पुरुषैः)

• पुरुषैः: by men
• पुरुषैः: Karana/Agent (Instrumental agent/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• भरतर्षभ: O bull among the Bharatas
• भरतर्षभ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत + ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अवसथे: in the dwelling/hut
• अवसथे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवसथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• लोप्त्रम्: the ladle (sacrificial implement)
• लोप्त्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोप्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न्यदधुः: placed / deposited
• न्यदधुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + धा (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• कुरुनन्दन: O joy of the Kurus
• कुरुनन्दन: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु + नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Deductive: Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating; direct address indicates a royal listener in the frame

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pursued by many men, the robbers hide the stolen treasure inside the ascetic’s dwelling, planting the seed of false accusation.

Characters & Entities

• Bhārata
• Kuru
• dasyu (bandits)
• āvasatha (dwelling)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Adharma attempts to shift blame onto the innocent; discernment and restraint are essential for dharmic judgment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā Khaṇḍa’s sacred geography forms the background; the hermitage setting underscores the sanctity of āśramas in tirtha regions.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the focus is narrative—concealment of stolen goods and impending inquiry.