Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

तान्वयं समपृच्छामो जनिर्वः किंनिमित्ततः । को वा लाभो विचार्यैतन्मनासा सह प्रोच्यताम्

Transliteration

tānvayaṃ samapṛcchāmo janirvaḥ kiṃnimittataḥ | ko vā lābho vicāryaitanmanāsā saha procyatām

Translation

आम्ही तुम्हाला स्पष्ट विचारतो— तुमच्यात ही धारणा कोणत्या कारणाने उत्पन्न झाली? मनात नीट विचार करून सांगा, यात लाभ तरी काय आहे?

Word by Word

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• समपृच्छामः: we ask
• समपृच्छामः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: सम्-

• जनिः: birth/origin
• जनिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• वः: of you (pl.)
• वः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural); एन्क्लिटिक (enclitic)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Hetu-prashna (Cause-question)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); प्रश्नार्थक

• निमित्ततः: for what reason/why
• निमित्ततः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: निमित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'from/for the reason of')

• कः: what/which
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); प्रश्नार्थक

• वा: or/indeed
• वा: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or/indeed)

• लाभः: gain/benefit
• लाभः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लाभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• विचार्य: having considered
• विचार्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + चर् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (Gerund/Absolutive); उपसर्ग: वि-; क्रियाविशेषण

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• मनसा: with the mind
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahartha (Accompaniment)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-योगे अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable: with)

• प्रोच्यताम्: let it be stated/told
• प्रोच्यताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive); उपसर्ग: प्र-

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced: Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration to sages)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The addressed group

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A respectful but firm interrogation: elders or a brāhmaṇa ask the group to state the cause of their view; one figure gestures toward the heart/head, indicating inner reflection.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma should be adopted after clear reflection on its cause and benefit, not by impulse or imitation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it is a general dharmic inquiry within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse prescribes thoughtful discernment (vicāra) before speaking or acting.