Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणा ऊचुः । गुरुशिष्यसमुत्थोऽयमुपदेशो महीपते । प्रार्थयामो वयं किंचिन्मा भयं त्वं समाविश

Transliteration

brāhmaṇā ūcuḥ | guruśiṣyasamuttho'yamupadeśo mahīpate | prārthayāmo vayaṃ kiṃcinmā bhayaṃ tvaṃ samāviśa

Translation

ബ്രാഹ്മണർ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ മഹീപതേ! ഈ ഉപദേശം ഗുരു-ശിഷ്യബന്ധത്തിൽ നിന്നുതന്നെ ഉദ്ഭവിക്കുന്നു. ഞങ്ങൾ നിങ്ങളോട് ഒരു അപേക്ഷ പറയുന്നു; നിങ്ങളിൽ ഭയം കടന്നുവരരുത്.

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणाः: the Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• गुरु-शिष्य-समुत्थः: arising from (the relation of) teacher and student
• गुरु-शिष्य-समुत्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक) + समुत्थ (कृदन्त; सम्-उत्-स्था धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (उपदेशः इति); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (गुरुशिष्ययोः समुत्थः)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• उपदेशः: instruction
• उपदेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महीपते: O lord of the earth (king)
• महीपते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपतिः (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रार्थयामः: we request
• प्रार्थयामः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-अर्थ्/प्रार्थय् (धातु; causative/denominative usage)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• किञ्चित्: something/a little
• किञ्चित्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनिश्चित-प्रमाण (indefinite)

• मा: do not
• मा: Sambandha (Particle/अव्यय-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (prohibitive particle)

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• समाविश: enter/let (it) enter (you)
• समाविश: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-विश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Brāhmaṇas

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājā (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brāhmaṇas respond collectively, palms joined, reassuring the king; the composition emphasizes mutual respect and the sanctity of instruction.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• King

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred knowledge is best transmitted through the guru-śiṣya relationship, and dharma-inquiry should be met with courage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named in this verse; it is part of the narrative scaffolding within Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it emphasizes the proper method of receiving instruction.