Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

किमर्थं रोदिषि मुने विस्मयोऽत्र महान्मम । एवं संपृच्छते मह्यमेतस्मिन्नेव चांतरे

Transliteration

kimarthaṃ rodiṣi mune vismayo'tra mahānmama | evaṃ saṃpṛcchate mahyametasminneva cāṃtare

Translation

ഹേ മുനേ, നീ എന്തിന് കരയുന്നു? ഇവിടെ എനിക്ക് മഹത്തായ വിസ്മയം തോന്നുന്നു. ഞാൻ ഇങ്ങനെ ചോദിച്ചുകൊണ്ടിരിക്കുമ്പോൾ, അതേ നിമിഷത്തിൽ…

Word by Word

• किमर्थम्: for what reason/why
• किमर्थम्: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-तत्पुरुषवत् प्रयोगः; प्रश्नार्थक अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• रोदिषि: you weep
• रोदिषि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रुद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• विस्मयः: astonishment
• विस्मयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• महान्: great
• महान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (विस्मयस्य)

• मम: of me/my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (manner adverb)

• संपृच्छते: asks/inquires
• संपृच्छते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √प्रच्छ् (धातु) + सम् (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• मह्यम्: to me
• मह्यम्: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एतस्मिन्: in this
• एतस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• अन्तरे: in the interval/meanwhile
• अन्तरे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; ‘अन्तरे’ = मध्ये (locative of interval)

Speaker

Bhṛgu (continuing the inquiry)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A traveler/ascetic addresses a weeping sage near a sacred precinct; the question hangs in the air, suggesting imminent revelation. The sage’s tears contrast with the calm sanctity of the place.

Characters & Entities

• muni (the sage)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Persistent, respectful inquiry is part of dharma; it prepares the seeker for deeper revelation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues a tīrtha-side encounter but does not name the location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative bridge emphasizing inquiry and attentiveness.