Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

कालभीतिरुवाच । को भवान्वर्णतो ब्रूहि किमाचारश्च तत्त्वतः । जन्माचारौ विदित्वा ते ग्रहीष्याम्यन्यथा न हि

Transliteration

kālabhītiruvāca | ko bhavānvarṇato brūhi kimācāraśca tattvataḥ | janmācārau viditvā te grahīṣyāmyanyathā na hi

Translation

କାଳଭୀତି କହିଲେ—ତୁମେ କିଏ? ନିଜ ବର୍ଣ୍ଣ କୁହ, ଏବଂ ସତ୍ୟତଃ ତୁମ ଆଚାର କ’ଣ? ତୁମ ଜନ୍ମ ଓ ଆଚାର ଜାଣିଲା ପରେ ମାତ୍ର ମୁଁ ଏହା ଗ୍ରହଣ କରିବି; ନହେଲେ ନୁହେଁ।

Word by Word

• कालभीतिः: Kālabhīti
• कालभीतिः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल+भीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: कालस्य भीतिः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Speech verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• भवान्: you (sir)
• भवान्: Karta (Addressee as subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; आदरार्थ (honorific)

• वर्णतः: as to caste
• वर्णतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb); प्रकार/वर्गवाचक (by caste/class)

• ब्रूहि: tell
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (Command/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative); मध्यमपुरुष (2nd); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Interrogative object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc); एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थ

• आचारः: conduct
• आचारः: Karta (Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• तत्त्वतः: truly/in reality
• तत्त्वतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय; यथार्थतः (in truth/really)

• जन्माचारौ: birth and conduct
• जन्माचारौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्म+आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (जन्म च आचारश्च); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); द्विवचन

• विदित्वा: having known
• विदित्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having known)

• ते: of you
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); एकवचन

• ग्रहीष्यामि: I will accept (it)
• ग्रहीष्यामि: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future); उत्तमपुरुष (1st); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (otherwise)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis/Reason marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/हेतुवाचक (indeed/for)

Speaker

Kālabhīti

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kālabhīti raises a calm but firm hand, questioning the donor: ‘Who are you by varṇa, and what is your conduct?’ The donor stands with the water-pot, momentarily paused—hope mixed with uncertainty.

Characters & Entities

• Kālabhīti
• Varṇa
• Ācāra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic ethics emphasize that offerings should align with dharma—worthiness is assessed through conduct and eligibility.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it is part of an ongoing tīrtha-centered narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A rule for accepting gifts: ascertain the giver’s background and conduct before receiving.