Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

चित्रसेन उवाच । कथ्यतां शूलभेदस्य मार्गं मे द्विजसत्तमाः । येन यामि महाभागाः स्वकार्यार्थस्य सिद्धये

Transliteration

citrasena uvāca | kathyatāṃ śūlabhedasya mārgaṃ me dvijasattamāḥ | yena yāmi mahābhāgāḥ svakāryārthasya siddhaye

Translation

ചിത്രസേനൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ ദ്വിജശ്രേഷ്ഠന്മാരേ, ശൂലഭേദത്തിലേക്കുള്ള മാർഗം എനിക്ക് പറഞ്ഞുതരുക. ഹേ മഹാഭാഗ്യവാന്മാരേ, ഏത് പാതയിലൂടെ പോയാൽ എന്റെ കാര്യം സിദ്ധിക്കും?

Word by Word

• चित्रसेनः: Citrasena
• चित्रसेनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्रसेन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• कथ्यताम्: let it be told / please tell
• कथ्यताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), परस्मैपद

• शूलभेदस्य: of the piercing/breaking of the trident
• शूलभेदस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूल-भेद (प्रातिपदिक; शूल + भेद)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• मार्गम्: path, way
• मार्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• मे: my / to me
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive) एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• द्विजसत्तमाः: O best of the twice-born (brahmins)
• द्विजसत्तमाः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज-सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; द्विज + सत्तम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); संबोधनार्थे (used in address)

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• यामि: I go / I shall go
• यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• महाभागाः: O fortunate ones
• महाभागाः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक; महा + भाग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); संबोधनार्थे (used in address)

• स्वकार्यार्थस्य: of (my) own purpose/aim
• स्वकार्यार्थस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-कार्य-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + कार्य + अर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• सिद्धये: for accomplishment, for success
• सिद्धये: Sampradana (Recipient/Goal/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Citrasena

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śūlabheda

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages (dvija-sattamāḥ)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king (Citrasena) respectfully addresses a circle of sages, palms joined, asking the route to Śūlabheda; the setting suggests a forest-hermitage near the Narmadā corridor.

Characters & Entities

• Citrasena
• Śūlabheda
• Dvija-sattamas (sages)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred goals are pursued rightly when one seeks guidance from the wise and follows the prescribed tīrtha-mārga.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śūlabheda is the named tīrtha/destination whose approach-route is being requested.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual is stated; the prescription is to learn and follow the proper pilgrimage route (mārga) to the tīrtha.