Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

तद्दृष्ट्वा मुनयस्सर्वे कौशलं रैभ्यपुत्रयौः । श्लाघंते सशिरःकम्पं वसिष्ठप्रमुखास्तदा

Transliteration

taddṛṣṭvā munayassarve kauśalaṃ raibhyaputrayauḥ | ślāghaṃte saśiraḥkampaṃ vasiṣṭhapramukhāstadā

Translation

റൈഭ്യന്റെ ഇരുപുത്രന്മാരുടെ കൗശലം കണ്ടു എല്ലാ മുനിമാരും അവരെ പ്രശംസിച്ചു; വസിഷ്ഠപ്രമുഖർ തലകുലുക്കി അംഗീകാരം അറിയിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; दृष्-क्रियायाः कर्म (object)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘having seen’

• मुनयः: sages
• मुनयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; मुनयः इति पदस्य विशेषणम्

• कौशलम्: skill, proficiency
• कौशलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौशल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• रैभ्यपुत्रयोः: of the two sons of Raibhya
• रैभ्यपुत्रयोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रैभ्य-पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक; रैभ्यस्य पुत्रः)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• श्लाघन्ते: they praise
• श्लाघन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्लाघ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• सशिरःकम्पम्: with a nod of the head
• सशिरःकम्पम्: Kriya-vishesana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स-शिरः-कम्प (प्रातिपदिक; शिरसः कम्पः)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘स’ उपसर्गसदृश-पूर्वपदेन सह (with-) अव्ययीभावः; क्रियाविशेषणभावेन (adverbial accusative)

• वसिष्ठप्रमुखाः: those headed by Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठप्रमुखाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ-प्रमुख (प्रातिपदिक; वसिष्ठः प्रमुखः येषाम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (those whose chief is Vasiṣṭha)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Narrator (Setukhaṇḍa narrative voice; traditionally Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa conveying the account)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of venerable sages—Vasiṣṭha foremost—watching the rite; they nod with gentle head-movements, hands raised in approval, faces serene; the two brothers stand composed near the altar.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• muni (sages)
• Raibhya
• Arvāvasu
• Parāvasu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The approval of realized sages confirms the value of disciplined, competent sacred service.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu-tīrtha setting (Setukhaṇḍa), where sages assemble and uphold dharma through yajña.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it highlights the standard of ritual competence recognized by senior sages.