Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

क्व यास्यति वरारोहा सर्वं मे कथ्यतां जनाः

Transliteration

kva yāsyati varārohā sarvaṃ me kathyatāṃ janāḥ

Translation

「あの気高き乙女はどこへ向かうのか。人々よ、すべてを私に語ってくれ。」

Word by Word

• क्व: where
• क्व: Adhikarana (location queried/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (प्रश्नवाचक-देश) = interrogative adverb ‘where’

• यास्यति: will go
• यास्यति: Kriya (action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्काल/future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वरारोहा: the fair-limbed/beautiful woman
• वरारोहा: Karta (subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर + आरोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमासः ‘वरा (श्रेष्ठा) आरोहा (आरोहणशील/आरोहिणी)’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• मे: to me; for me
• मे: Sampradana (to me/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; ‘मम’ (enclitic)

• कथ्यताम्: let (it) be told
• कथ्यताम्: Kriya (injunction/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive) ‘let it be told’

• जनाः: O people
• जनाः: Sambodhana (address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे प्रयोगः (vocative sense)

Speaker

Ṛcīka (within Sūta’s narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The speaker, still intent, asks the crowd where the noble maiden is headed; the crowd leans in, ready to explain her route and purpose.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛcīka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic narratives often proceed through direct questioning—clarity about persons and intentions supports Dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Still within the Kauśikī river tīrtha setting at Bhojakaṭa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.