Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

एकदा सूतमायांतं दृष्ट्वा तं शौनकादयः । परं हर्षं समाविष्टाः पपुर्नेत्रैः सुचेतसा । चित्राः श्रोतुं कथास्तत्र परिवव्रुस्तपस्विनः

Transliteration

ekadā sūtamāyāṃtaṃ dṛṣṭvā taṃ śaunakādayaḥ | paraṃ harṣaṃ samāviṣṭāḥ papurnetraiḥ sucetasā | citrāḥ śrotuṃ kathāstatra parivavrustapasvinaḥ

Translation

ഒരു ദിവസം സൂതൻ വരുന്നതു കണ്ട ശൗനകാദി ഋഷിമാർ പരമഹർഷത്തിൽ മുങ്ങി. സുസ്ഥിരചിത്തത്തോടെ അവർ കണ്ണുകളാൽ തന്നെ അവനെ ‘കുടിച്ച’പോലെ നോക്കി; വിചിത്രകഥകൾ കേൾക്കാനുള്ള ആകാംക്ഷയിൽ ആ തപസ്വികൾ അവനെ ചുറ്റി കൂടി।

Word by Word

• ekadā: once
• ekadā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + dā (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• sūtam: Sūta (the bard)
• sūtam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• āyāntam: coming
• āyāntam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-yā (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (वर्तमान कृदन्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (सूतम्)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (सर्वनाम)

• śaunaka-ādayaḥ: Śaunaka and others
• śaunaka-ādayaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaunaka (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• param: great
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (हर्षम्)

• harṣam: joy
• harṣam: Karma (Object/State)
• Type: Noun
• Root: harṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• samāviṣṭāḥ: filled/overcome (by)
• samāviṣṭāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-viś (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्तृवाचक विशेषण (शौनकादयः)

• papuḥ: they drank
• papuḥ: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pā (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• netraiḥ: with (their) eyes
• netraiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: netra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• su-cetasā: with a good mind; attentively
• su-cetasā: Karaṇa (Instrument/State)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; भाववाचक

• citrāḥ: eager/astonished
• citrāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: citra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (तपस्विनः)

• śrotum: to hear
• śrotum: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्यय (infinitive), प्रयोजनार्थ

• kathāḥ: stories
• kathāḥ: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kathā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• parivavruḥ: they surrounded
• parivavruḥ: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-vṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• tapasvinaḥ: ascetics
• tapasvinaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapasvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Naimiṣāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A forest hermitage assembly: Śaunaka and sages rise with joy as Sūta arrives; their eyes fixed lovingly, they encircle him, eager for wondrous stories.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa)
• Śaunaka
• Ṛṣis

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverent listening to Purāṇic kathā in the company of sages is portrayed as a noble, joy-giving spiritual pursuit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting continues to be Naimiṣāraṇya, though the verse emphasizes the assembly rather than a specific tīrtha act.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed; the implied observance is kathā-śravaṇa (listening to sacred discourse).