Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

बकोऽथ मित्रं स्वं वीक्ष्य चिरकालादुपागतम् । मार्कंडेयं ययौ प्रीत्युत्कंठितः सम्मुखं द्विजैः

Transliteration

bako'tha mitraṃ svaṃ vīkṣya cirakālādupāgatam | mārkaṃḍeyaṃ yayau prītyutkaṃṭhitaḥ sammukhaṃ dvijaiḥ

Translation

പിന്നെ ബകൻ തന്റെ സുഹൃത്ത് ദീർഘകാലത്തിന് ശേഷം വന്നതു കണ്ടു, സ്നേഹത്തോടെ ഉത്സുകനായി, ബ്രാഹ്മണന്മാരോടൊപ്പം മാർക്കണ്ഡേയനെ എതിരേൽക്കാൻ പുറപ്പെട്ടു.

Word by Word

• bakaḥ: Baka (the crane)
• bakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: baka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक निपात (then/now)

• mitram: friend
• mitram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• svam: his own
• svam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• vīkṣya: having seen
• vīkṣya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vīkṣ (वीक्ष् धातु) → vīkṣya (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; पूर्वक्रिया (having seen)

• cirakālāt: after a long time / from long time
• cirakālāt: Apādāna (Source/अपाादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cirakāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन

• upāgatam: arrived, come
• upāgatam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa√gam (गम् धातु) → upāgata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; मित्रम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• mārkaṇḍeyam: Mārkaṇḍeya
• mārkaṇḍeyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārkaṇḍeya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम

• yayau: went
• yayau: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (या धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• prītyā: with affection / out of joy
• prītyā: Karaṇa/Hetu (Means/Cause/करण-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prīti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• utkaṇṭhitaḥ: eager, longing
• utkaṇṭhitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: utkaṇṭhita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (bakaḥ इत्यस्य)

• sammukham: to the front / face to face
• sammukham: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sammukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (adverbial accusative); सम्मुखभावे (in front)

• dvijaiḥ: with the Brahmins / twice-born
• dvijaiḥ: Sahakārī (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta-style narration within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nāḍījaṅgha-ālaya (seat of Baka)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Baka/Nāḍījaṅgha steps forward joyfully to welcome Mārkaṇḍeya after a long separation; brāhmaṇas accompany; gestures of embrace/añjali, hermitage backdrop, sense of reunion.

Characters & Entities

• Baka
• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Dvija

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Honoring virtuous guests and cherishing saintly friendship are expressions of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the verse highlights interpersonal dharma (welcome and respect).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, the dharma of welcoming guests (atithi-satkāra) is modeled, though not detailed as a rite.