Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

वयं च प्रश्नमेकं हि पृच्छामो यदि भूपते । ब्रूषे कौतुकयुक्तानां सर्वेषां च द्विजन्मनाम्

Transliteration

vayaṃ ca praśnamekaṃ hi pṛcchāmo yadi bhūpate | brūṣe kautukayuktānāṃ sarveṣāṃ ca dvijanmanām

Translation

ഹേ ഭൂപതേ! ഞങ്ങൾ സത്യത്തിൽ ഒരു ചോദ്യം മാത്രമാണ് ചോദിക്കുന്നത്. നിങ്ങൾ മറുപടി പറയുമെങ്കിൽ, കൗതുകം നിറഞ്ഞ എല്ലാ ദ്വിജന്മാർക്കുമായി അത് പറയുക.

Word by Word

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

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• प्रश्नम्: a question
• प्रश्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रश्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (प्रश्नम् इति)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/अव्यय-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• पृच्छामः: we ask
• पृच्छामः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Particle/अव्यय-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• भूपते: O king
• भूपते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ब्रूषे: you say/speak
• ब्रूषे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• कौतुक-युक्तानाम्: of those endowed with curiosity
• कौतुक-युक्तानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कौतुक (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (कृदन्त; युज् धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (द्विजन्मनाम्/सर्वेषाम् इति); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कौतुकयुक्ताः)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (द्विजन्मनाम् इति)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• द्विजन्मनाम्: of the twice-born
• द्विजन्मनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

Brāhmaṇas

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājā (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A spokesperson brāhmaṇa steps slightly forward from the group, respectfully posing a single focused question; others listen attentively.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• King
• Dvijanman (twice-born)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A well-formed single question can serve many seekers; dharma is clarified through public, responsible answers.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this line; the broader chapter belongs to Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it introduces a question meant for the benefit of many.