Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

तं सिंहमब्रवीदृक्षो धर्मज्ञो द्विजसत्तमाः । भवान्धर्मं न जानीषे मृगराज वनेचर

Transliteration

taṃ siṃhamabravīdṛkṣo dharmajño dvijasattamāḥ | bhavāndharmaṃ na jānīṣe mṛgarāja vanecara

Translation

ധർമ്മജ്ഞനായ ദ്വിജസത്തമ കരടി ആ സിംഹത്തോട് പറഞ്ഞു— “ഹേ മൃഗരാജാ, വനചരാ! നീ ധർമ്മം അറിയുന്നില്ല.”

Word by Word

• तम्: that
• तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; ‘that’ (qualifying siṃham)

• सिंहम्: lion
• सिंहम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• ऋक्षः: the bear
• ऋक्षः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• धर्मज्ञः: knower of dharma
• धर्मज्ञः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: ‘धर्मं जानाति’

• द्विजसत्तमाः: best of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजसत्तमाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘द्विजानां सत्तमाः’ (best of twice-born) — सन्दर्भे सम्भवतः सम्बोधन-बहुवचनार्थः/पाठभेदः

• भवान्: you (sir)
• भवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; आदरार्थक-प्रयोगः (honorific ‘you’)

• धर्मम्: dharma
• धर्मम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negation particle)

• जानीषे: you know
• जानीषे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• मृगराज: O king of beasts
• मृगराज: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + राज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘मृगाणां राजा’

• वनेचर: O forest-dweller
• वनेचर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक) + चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘वने चरः’

Speaker

Bear (ṛkṣa) speaking to the lion; narration framed by Sūta to sages

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu-kṣetra (dharma-prakāśa setting)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis / inquirer

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The bear, composed and authoritative, addresses the lion with a dharmic rebuke; the sleeping prince remains under the tree, symbolizing entrusted life.

Characters & Entities

• Bear (ṛkṣa)
• Lion (siṃha)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is discernment and restraint; even amid hunger and fear, righteousness forbids treachery and protects the entrusted.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setu/Rāmeśvara sacred frame of Setukhaṇḍa underlies the account, presenting dharma as the true fruit of pilgrimage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated; the verse teaches ethical dharma—guardianship and fidelity to one’s promise.