Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

दिशश्चतस्रो गच्छंतु भवंतो वीर्यवत्तराः । युष्माभिराहतैर्द्रव्यैः करिष्यामि महाक्रतुम्

Transliteration

diśaścatasro gacchaṃtu bhavaṃto vīryavattarāḥ | yuṣmābhirāhatairdravyaiḥ kariṣyāmi mahākratum

Translation

അത്യന്തം വീര്യവാന്മാരായ വീരന്മാരേ! നിങ്ങൾ നാലു ദിക്കുകളിലേക്കും പോകുവിൻ. നിങ്ങൾ കൊണ്ടുവരുന്ന ധനസമ്പത്തുകൊണ്ട് ഞാൻ മഹാക്രതു (മഹായജ്ഞം) നിർവഹിക്കും.

Word by Word

• दिशः: directions
• दिशः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• चतस्रः: four
• चतस्रः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• गच्छन्तु: let (them) go
• गच्छन्तु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• भवन्तः: you (honorific), sirs
• भवन्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; आदरसूचक सर्वनाम-प्रयोग

• वीर्यवत्तराः: more valorous/stronger
• वीर्यवत्तराः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर्यवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तरप्-प्रत्यय (comparative)

• युष्माभिः: by you
• युष्माभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• आहतैः: brought/obtained (lit. struck/collected)
• आहतैः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-हन् (धातु) + आहत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त)

• द्रव्यैः: with wealth/materials
• द्रव्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• करिष्यामि: I will perform/do
• करिष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महाक्रतुम्: a great sacrifice
• महाक्रतुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाक्रतु (प्रातिपदिक: महा + क्रतु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महान् क्रतुः)

Speaker

Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmaputra) (deduced from context: addressing his brothers before conquest for sacrifice)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A royal command scene: a dharmic king instructs heroic envoys/warriors to depart to the four directions to gather tribute for a great sacrifice; courtly setting with ritual implements hinted in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Pāṇḍavas
• Mahākratu (great sacrifice)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual action (yajña) is grounded in disciplined effort and righteous kingship; power is directed toward dharmic rites, not mere conquest.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader setting is Setukhaṇḍa (Setu/Rāmeśvaram sacred region), though this verse itself focuses on preparations for a royal sacrifice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The intention to perform a mahākratu—a major royal yajña—supported by collected resources/wealth.