Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

कुतो वाऽगमनं तुभ्यं गन्तव्यं वा क्व सांप्रतम् । अत्राप्यागमने कार्यमुच्यतां मुनिसत्तम

Transliteration

kuto vā'gamanaṃ tubhyaṃ gantavyaṃ vā kva sāṃpratam | atrāpyāgamane kāryamucyatāṃ munisattama

Translation

Dari manakah engkau datang, dan ke manakah engkau hendak pergi sekarang? Dan apakah tujuan kedatanganmu ke sini—mohon nyatakan kepada kami, wahai yang terbaik antara para muni.

Word by Word

• kutaḥ: from where
• kutaḥ: Sambandha (Interrogative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kutas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (interrogative adverb): कुतः (from where/why)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (disjunctive particle): वा (or)

• āgamanam: coming
• āgamanam: Karma (Object of implied inquiry/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āgamana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular); प्रश्नविषयः

• tubhyam: for you / to you
• tubhyam: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी एकवचनम् (Dative, Singular); सर्वनाम

• gantavyam: to be gone to / to go
• gantavyam: Kriya (Obligation/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/future passive participle): गन्तव्यम्; नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (disjunctive particle): वा (or)

• kva: where
• kva: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण-अर्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (interrogative adverb): क्व (where)

• sāṃpratam: now
• sāṃpratam: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sāṃprata (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययप्राय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): सांप्रतम् (now/at present)

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण-अर्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): अत्र (here)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle): अपि (also/even)

• āgamane: in (your) coming
• āgamane: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āgamana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम् (Neuter, Locative, Singular)

• kāryam: purpose / matter to be done
• kāryam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular)

• ucyatām: let it be stated
• ucyatām: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम् (let it be said / please tell)

• muni-sattama: O best sage
• muni-sattama: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक) + sattama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम् (Masculine, Vocative, Singular); तत्पुरुषः: मुनीनां सत्तमः (best of sages)

Speaker

Brāhmaṇas led by Śātātapa (addressing Nārada)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārtha; within scene, brāhmaṇas address Skanda

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A senior brāhmaṇa steps forward, palms joined, asking the sage about his origin, destination, and purpose; the assembly listens attentively.

Characters & Entities

• Śātātapa
• Nārada

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It reflects dharmic curiosity—seeking the intention and teaching behind a sage’s movements and visit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is explicitly identified in this verse; it sets up a travel-and-purpose explanation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a formal inquiry inviting instruction from the muni.