Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य वसिष्ठो मुनिसत्तमः । अर्बुदस्थस्तया प्रोक्तो दीनया दुःखयुक्तया

Transliteration

kasyacittvatha kālasya vasiṣṭho munisattamaḥ | arbudasthastayā prokto dīnayā duḥkhayuktayā

Translation

ତାପରେ କିଛି ସମୟ ପରେ, ଅର୍ବୁଦରେ ବସୁଥିବା ମୁନିଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ବସିଷ୍ଠଙ୍କୁ ସେଇ ଦୀନା ଓ ଦୁଃଖାକ୍ରାନ୍ତା (ସରସ୍ୱତୀ) ସମ୍ବୋଧନ କଲା।

Word by Word

• कस्यचित्: of some
• कस्यचित्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक सर्वनाम—'of some'

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात; विरोध/अनुक्रम)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात; आरम्भ/अनुक्रम)

• कालस्य: of time
• कालस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• वसिष्ठः: Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• मुनिसत्तमः: the best of sages
• मुनिसत्तमः: Apposition (to subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनिसत्तम (प्रातिपदिक: मुनि + सत्तम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः—'मुनीनाम् सत्तमः'

• अर्बुदस्थः: dwelling at Arbuda
• अर्बुदस्थः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्बुदस्थ (प्रातिपदिक: अर्बुद + स्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः—'अर्बुदे स्थितः'

• तया: by her
• तया: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रोक्तः: was spoken to
• प्रोक्तः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र+वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि—'was addressed/told'

• दीनया: by the distressed (one)
• दीनया: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (तया इत्यस्य)

• दुःखयुक्तया: by (her) afflicted with sorrow
• दुःखयुक्तया: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःखयुक्त (प्रातिपदिक: दुःख + युक्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः—'दुःखेन युक्ता'

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-kṣetra (context node)

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijottamas

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On Mount Arbuda, sage Vasiṣṭha in his āśrama is approached by the sorrowful Sarasvatī (personified), pleading in distress.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Vasiṣṭha
• Arbuda (Mount Abu)
• Sarasvatī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma is threatened, the tradition turns to realized sages; compassion and tapas become instruments for restoring sacred order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Arbuda (Mount Abu region) is indicated as Vasiṣṭha’s seat, tying tīrtha narration to the sanctity of that sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse introduces the supplication to Vasiṣṭha that leads to mantra-based restoration.