Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

मत्पुत्रं सुरुचिं शीघ्रमतः स्थापयतासने । काष्ठान्यानयत क्षिप्रं प्रवेष्टुं हव्यवाहनम्

Transliteration

matputraṃ suruciṃ śīghramataḥ sthāpayatāsane | kāṣṭhānyānayata kṣipraṃ praveṣṭuṃ havyavāhanam

Translation

«Portanto, colocai depressa meu filho Suruci no trono. Trazei lenha imediatamente — vou entrar no fogo.»

Word by Word

• मत्: my
• मत्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-एकवचन (Genitive singular), सर्वनाम; विशेषणरूपेण (possessive)

• पुत्रम्: son
• पुत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• सुरुचिम्: Suruci (proper name)
• सुरुचिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; (नामविशेषः)

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Sambandha (Logical connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/तस्मात्-अर्थे (therefore/from here)

• स्थापयत: place / seat (him)
• स्थापयत: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative)

• आसने: on the seat
• आसने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• काष्ठानि: pieces of wood
• काष्ठानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• आनयत: bring
• आनयत: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु) उपसर्ग-आ + लोट्
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• क्षिप्रम्: quickly
• क्षिप्रम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षिप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• प्रवेष्टुम्: to enter
• प्रवेष्टुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-विश् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), क्रियार्थ (purpose)

• हव्यवाहनम्: Agni (the fire, carrier of oblations)
• हव्यवाहनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हव्य + वाहन (प्रातिपदिक); अग्नि-पर्याय
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (havyasya vāhanaḥ)

Speaker

Śaṅkara (Pāṇḍya king)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setukṣetra (Setubandha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas (addressed later in the sequence)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king issues final commands: his son Suruci is to be enthroned immediately; attendants rush to gather wood as the king prepares for a fire-entry vow.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara (Pāṇḍya king)
• Suruci
• Agni (Havyavāhana)
• throne

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma demands continuity of social order (succession) even amid personal crisis; yet the narrative warns of the gravity of despair.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu-kṣetra (Setukhaṇḍa) provides the pilgrimage backdrop, though the verse itself is an action-command.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Preparing a fire with wood is mentioned as part of the intended act of entering fire, not as a prescriptive pilgrimage ritual.