Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

एवं विकल्पहृदयो गत्वा स ऋषिसन्निधौ । उवाच श्लक्ष्णया वाचा गम्यतामिति सादरम्

Transliteration

evaṃ vikalpahṛdayo gatvā sa ṛṣisannidhau | uvāca ślakṣṇayā vācā gamyatāmiti sādaram

Translation

疑念と省察に胸を引き裂かれつつ、彼は聖仙たちの御前に赴き、柔らかな言葉で恭しく申し上げた。「お命じのままに、退出することをお許しください。」

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषणम्/adverb)

• विकल्पहृदयः: one whose heart is full of doubts
• विकल्पहृदयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विकल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (विकल्पयुक्तं हृदयम् यस्य)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; पूर्वकालिकक्रिया (having gone)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ऋषिसन्निधौ: in the presence of the sages
• ऋषिसन्निधौ: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरणम् (स्थान)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• श्लक्ष्णया: with gentle
• श्लक्ष्णया: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्लक्ष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (वाचाम्)

• वाचा: speech/words
• वाचा: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच्/वाचा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करणम्

• गम्यताम्: let (it) be gone / please go
• गम्यताम्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive): ‘let it be gone/let one go’

• इति: thus
• इति: Vacana-prakāśaka (Quotation marker/इत्यादि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उद्धरणसूचक/quotative particle)

• सादरम्: respectfully
• सादरम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सादर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन (क्रियाविशेषणम्/adverbial accusative)

Speaker

Narrator (the man addressing the sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Tīrtha-śravaṇa audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sage walks from his dwelling to an āśrama grove where elders sit; he bows slightly and speaks with folded hands, requesting leave to depart.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣis (sages)
• Prabhāsa-kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When conscience awakens, one should approach realized teachers with humility and gentle speech.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The scene is set within Prabhāsa-kṣetra’s Māhātmya, where sages instruct seekers.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it introduces the seeker’s approach to the sages prior to receiving instruction.