Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

तस्मादेतन्महाबाहो यथावद्वक्तुमर्हसि । सांप्रतं सूत कार्त्स्न्येन परं कौतूहलं हि नः

Transliteration

tasmādetanmahābāho yathāvadvaktumarhasi | sāṃprataṃ sūta kārtsnyena paraṃ kautūhalaṃ hi naḥ

Translation

ଏହେତୁ, ହେ ମହାବାହୋ, ଏହାକୁ ଯଥାବତ୍ କହିବାକୁ ଆପଣ ଅର୍ହ। ହେ ସୂତ, ଏହି ମୁହୂର୍ତ୍ତରେ ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ବିସ୍ତାରରେ ଶୁଣିବାକୁ ଆମର ପରମ କୌତୂହଳ ଅଛି।

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu/Conclusion (हेतु/निगमन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक; पञ्चमी; एकवचन (therefore/from that)

• etan: this
• etan: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (this)

• mahābāho: O mighty-armed one
• mahābāho: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-bāhu (प्रातिपदिक: महा + बाहु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचन (O mighty-armed one)

• yathāvat: properly
• yathāvat: Manner (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रकारवाचक (properly, in due manner)

• vaktum: to speak
• vaktum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive); अव्ययभाव (to speak)

• arhasi: you should/are fit
• arhasi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arh (धातु)
• Form: लट्; मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद (you are able/you ought)

• sāṃpratam: now
• sāṃpratam: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sāṃpratam (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (at present/now)

• sūta: O Sūta
• sūta: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचन (O Sūta)

• kārtsnyena: completely/in full
• kārtsnyena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārtsnya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचन (with completeness/entirely)

• param: great
• param: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन (supreme/great)

• kautūhalam: curiosity
• kautūhalam: Karta (कर्ता) (as ‘is’ implied)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kautūhala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन (curiosity)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (indeed/for)

• naḥ: of us/our
• naḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive) बहुवचन (of us/our)

Speaker

Ṛṣis (Sages)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sūta

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sages with folded hands leaning forward, earnest faces; Sūta seated on a slightly raised seat, holding a staff or manuscript; the atmosphere of a formal question before a long pilgrimage account.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is learned through humble inquiry and complete listening to authoritative tradition-bearers.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None yet; it is a framing verse preparing for tīrtha-related exposition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual instruction; it requests a comprehensive teaching.