Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

एवमुक्तस्तु विप्रेन्द्रो धर्मपुत्रेण धीमता । उवाच मधुरां वाणीं तदा धर्मसुतं प्रति

Transliteration

evamuktastu viprendro dharmaputreṇa dhīmatā | uvāca madhurāṃ vāṇīṃ tadā dharmasutaṃ prati

Translation

ଧର୍ମଙ୍କ ବୁଦ୍ଧିମାନ ପୁତ୍ର ଏଭଳି ପଚାରିଲେ, ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ତେବେ ଧର୍ମସୁତଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତି ମଧୁର ବାଣୀରେ ଉତ୍ତର ଦେଲେ।

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Manner adjunct/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (प्रकारवाचक/adverb of manner)

• उक्तः: having been addressed/spoken to
• उक्तः: Karta (Subject of main clause/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि (having been spoken to)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle; emphasis)

• विप्रेन्द्रः: the best of Brahmins
• विप्रेन्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विप्राणाम् इन्द्रः)

• धर्मपुत्रेण: by Dharmaputra (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• धर्मपुत्रेण: Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (धर्मस्य पुत्रः)

• धीमता: wise
• धीमता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (धर्मपुत्रेण)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Speech act/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मधुराम्: sweet
• मधुराम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (वाणीम्)

• वाणीम्: speech/words
• वाणीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Sambandha (Time adjunct/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक/adverb of time)

• धर्मसुतम्: to Dharmasuta (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• धर्मसुतम्: Karma (Goal/Target of speech/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (धर्मस्य सुतः)

• प्रति: towards/to
• प्रति: Sampradana (Recipient/प्रति = towards)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपसर्गसदृश/पूर्वपद; here: उपपद-प्रयोग as preposition governing accusative)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; introduces Mārkaṇḍeya’s reply)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Audience; within scene, Yudhiṣṭhira is the listener to the sage

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sage begins speaking: calm hand gesture (vyākhyāna-mudrā), Yudhiṣṭhira attentive; the atmosphere is serene, signaling the start of sacred exposition.

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmaputra)
• Mārkaṇḍeya (viprendra, implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred knowledge is transmitted through respectful dialogue, where a sage responds with clarity and kindness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None directly; it is a narrative bridge within the Jayavārāha/Narmadā tīrtha discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it introduces the forthcoming explanation.