Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

पुण्यभांजि च तान्येव पतितानि च सागरे । तदा स विस्मयाविष्टो बलिराह गुरुं प्रति

Transliteration

puṇyabhāṃji ca tānyeva patitāni ca sāgare | tadā sa vismayāviṣṭo balirāha guruṃ prati

Translation

ସେଇ ପୁଣ୍ୟପ୍ରଦ ରତ୍ନମାନେ ତେବେ ସାଗରରେ ପଡ଼ିଗଲେ; ତାହାଦେଖି ବିସ୍ମୟାବିଷ୍ଟ ବଳି ନିଜ ଗୁରୁଙ୍କୁ କହିଲେ।

Word by Word

• puṇya-bhāji: bestowing merit, auspicious
• puṇya-bhāji: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya-bhājin (प्रातिपदिक; पुण्य + भाजिन्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (tāni/ratnāni)

• ca: and
• ca: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• tāni: those (things)
• tāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• eva: indeed
• eva: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण: 'indeed/just')

• patitāni: fallen
• patitāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √pat (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (tāni)

• ca: and
• ca: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• sāgare: in the ocean
• sāgare: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāgara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• tadā: then
• tadā: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक: 'then')

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• vismaya-āviṣṭaḥ: overcome by astonishment
• vismaya-āviṣṭaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vismaya-āviṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक; विस्मय + आविष्ट)
• Form: आविष्ट = ā-√viś (धातु) + kta; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (saḥ)

• baliḥ: Bali
• baliḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• āha: said
• āha: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• gurum: to the teacher
• gurum: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• prati: towards, to
• prati: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prati (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपसर्गसदृश/पूर्वसर्ग; 'towards/to')

Speaker

Narrator (introducing Bali’s speech)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A storm-tossed ocean swallowing radiant jewels; silhouettes of Airāvata/Uccaiḥśravā and other ratnas slipping beneath waves; Bali, astonished, turns toward Śukra in a shadowed court.

Characters & Entities

• Bali
• Guru (Śukra/Uśanā implied)
• Ocean (Sāgara)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even mighty rulers must turn to wise guidance when confronted with the unexpected; humility before a guru steadies the mind.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is directly praised in this verse; it continues the narrative within Kedārakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse transitions into a guru-consultation scene.