Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

इत्थं सुविस्मितो राजा भीतः सा राजवल्लभा । प्रत्युवाच विहस्यैनं विनयेन शुचिस्मिता

Transliteration

itthaṃ suvismito rājā bhītaḥ sā rājavallabhā | pratyuvāca vihasyainaṃ vinayena śucismitā

Translation

ଏପରି ରାଜା ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ବିସ୍ମିତ ଓ ଭୀତ ହେଲା। ତେବେ ରାଜବଲ୍ଲଭା, ଶୁଚିସ୍ମିତା, ମୃଦୁହାସ ସହ ବିନୟରେ ତାକୁ ପ୍ରତ୍ୟୁତ୍ତର ଦେଲେ।

Word by Word

• ittham: thus
• ittham: Adhikarana (Manner/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ittham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• su-vismitaḥ: greatly astonished
• su-vismitaḥ: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय) + vismita (√smi/vismi; कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• bhītaḥ: frightened
• bhītaḥ: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √bhī (धातु) → bhīta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम ‘तद्’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• rāja-vallabhā: the king’s beloved
• rāja-vallabhā: Karta (Subject apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक) + vallabhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘राज्ञः वल्लभा’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• pratyuvāca: replied
• pratyuvāca: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-√vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• vihasya: smiling
• vihasya: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√has (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘vihasya’ = having smiled/laughed

• enam: him
• enam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम ‘एतद्’; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• vinayena: with humility
• vinayena: Karana (Manner/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vinaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; साधन/भाव

• śuci-smitā: with a pure smile
• śuci-smitā: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuci (प्रातिपदिक) + smitā (√smi; कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator, unspecified in snippet)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka-group (frame assumed; not explicit in excerpt)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king stands fearful and amazed; the queen, radiant and pure, smiles softly and replies with humility, diffusing tension.

Characters & Entities

• King
• Queen

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when wronged, a virtuous person responds with composure, humility, and dharmic speech.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No sacred site is mentioned here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it introduces the forthcoming explanation of mantra and discipline.