Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

इत्युक्ते शिवदूतैस्तैरपृच्छं पुनरप्यहम् । विस्मयाविष्टचित्तस्तान्कृतांजलिरवस्थितः

Transliteration

ityukte śivadūtaistairapṛcchaṃ punarapyaham | vismayāviṣṭacittastānkṛtāṃjaliravasthitaḥ

Translation

ସେଇ ଶିବଦୂତମାନେ ଏପରି କହିବା ପରେ ମୁଁ ପୁନର୍ବାର ସେମାନଙ୍କୁ ପଚାରିଲି। ବିସ୍ମୟରେ ଚିତ୍ତ ଆବିଷ୍ଟ ହୋଇ, ମୁଁ କରଯୋଡ଼ି ସେମାନଙ୍କ ସମ୍ମୁଖରେ ଦଣ୍ଡାୟମାନ ରହିଲି।

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उक्त्यन्त-निपातः) / Quotative particle

• उक्ते: when (it was) said
• उक्ते: Adhikarana/Context (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सप्तमी-निरपेक्षे/लोके) / Past participle ‘said’, Locative singular (locative absolute)

• शिवदूतैः: by Śiva's messengers
• शिवदूतैः: Karana/Agent (करण/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + दूत (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन / Masculine, Instrumental plural; ‘by Śiva’s messengers’

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karana/Agent (करण/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन / Pronoun, Instrumental plural

• अपृच्छम्: I asked
• अपृच्छम्: Kriya/Action (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन / Imperfect, 1st person singular

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (पुनरावृत्त्यर्थक) / Adverb ‘again’

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/अपि-कार) / Particle ‘also/even’

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta/Subject (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन / Pronoun, Nominative singular

• विस्मयाविष्टचित्तः: whose mind was filled with astonishment
• विस्मयाविष्टचित्तः: Visheshana/Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्मय + आविष्ट (आ+विश्-धातोः क्त) + चित्त (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन / Masculine, Nominative singular; समासः—विस्मयेन आविष्टं चित्तं यस्य

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

• कृताञ्जलिः: with hands joined in reverence
• कृताञ्जलिः: Visheshana/Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ-धातोः क्त) + अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन / Masculine, Nominative singular; ‘अञ्जलिः कृतः’

• अवस्थितः: stood
• अवस्थितः: Kriya/Action (क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + स्था (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन / Past participle ‘stood/was stationed’, Masculine nominative singular

Speaker

Yamadūta (narrating his own reaction)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śiva-dūtas

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The narrator stands with folded hands, eyes widened in wonder, leaning slightly forward as he asks again; the Śiva-messengers remain poised and luminous, creating a devotional tension between awe and inquiry.

Characters & Entities

• Śivadūtas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True authority inspires humility; even powerful beings show reverence when confronted with higher dharmic power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is indicated; it is a narrative transition within the dialogue.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A gesture of devotion is implied: standing with folded hands (añjali) as respectful conduct.