Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

इति पृष्टः स विमना मित्रकार्यप्रसाधनात् । कौशिकः प्राह जानामि नेन्द्रद्युम्नमहं नृपम्

Transliteration

iti pṛṣṭaḥ sa vimanā mitrakāryaprasādhanāt | kauśikaḥ prāha jānāmi nendradyumnamahaṃ nṛpam

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ ചോദിക്കപ്പെട്ടപ്പോൾ സുഹൃത്തിന്റെ കാര്യം സാധിപ്പിക്കാനാകാത്തതിനാൽ അവൻ വിഷണ്ണനായി. കൗശികൻ പറഞ്ഞു—“ഞാൻ ഇന്ദ്രദ്യുമ്ന രാജാവിനെ അറിയുന്നില്ല.”

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, वाक्यसमाप्त्यर्थक-निपात

• पृष्टः: having been asked
• पृष्टः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता; patient as subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• विमनाः: downcast; dejected
• विमनाः: Karta (Subject attribute/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विशेषण (to सः)

• मित्रकार्यप्रसाधनात्: because of accomplishing the friend’s task
• मित्रकार्यप्रसाधनात्: Apadana/Hetu (Cause-source/अपादान-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र + कार्य + प्रसाधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः; हेत्वर्थे अपादान (‘because of/owing to the accomplishing of the friend’s task’)

• कौशिकः: Kauśika
• कौशिकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौशिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह्/ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• जानामि: I know
• जानामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध-निपात (negation)

• इन्द्रद्युम्नम्: Indradyumna
• इन्द्रद्युम्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रद्युम्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• नृपम्: the king
• नृपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; इन्द्रद्युम्नम् इत्यस्य विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

Speaker

Narrator, then Kauśika

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kailāsa (contextual)

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kauśika, downcast, confesses he does not know Indradyumna; the brāhmaṇas’ faces shift from hope to sober acceptance, the owl/bird’s gaze steady in the cold mountain light.

Characters & Entities

• Kauśika
• Indradyumna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes honest speech—even when the truth disappoints or fails to meet expectations.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse centers on truthful response within a dialogue.