Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणा ऊचुः । कथयस्व महाभाग कथं ते गुरवः स्थिताः । कीदृशं च त्वया दृष्टं तेषां चैव विचेष्टितम्

Transliteration

brāhmaṇā ūcuḥ | kathayasva mahābhāga kathaṃ te guravaḥ sthitāḥ | kīdṛśaṃ ca tvayā dṛṣṭaṃ teṣāṃ caiva viceṣṭitam

Translation

Брахманы сказали: «О весьма благословенный, поведай нам: в каком положении пребывают твои учителя? Что ты сам увидел в них и каковы были их поступки и образ действий?»

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणाः: the Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural); परस्मैपद

• कथयस्व: tell (us)
• कथयस्व: Kriya (Imperative action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular); आत्मनेपद

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक; महा+भाग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-एकवचन (Genitive Singular; enclitic)

• गुरवः: teachers
• गुरवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• स्थिताः: were situated / were (in a state)
• स्थिताः: Karta-predicative (Predicate adjective/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √स्था (धातु) + क्त (PPP))
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP)

• कीदृशम्: what kind (of)
• कीदृशम्: Karma (Object complement/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कीदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); प्रश्न-विशेषण (interrogative adjective)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• दृष्टम्: seen (thing)
• दृष्टम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √दृश् (धातु) + क्त (PPP))
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP used nominally)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• विचेष्टितम्: behavior, actions
• विचेष्टितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि+चेष्टित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √चेष्ट् (धातु) + क्त (PPP))
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP used nominally)

Speaker

Brāhmaṇas (in dialogue with the Atithi)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: brāhmaṇas (assembly)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of brāhmaṇas, hands folded, respectfully questioning a traveler/guest; the guest sits composed, ready to narrate.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Gurus
• Atithi (implied addressee)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma values learning through authentic teachers and evaluating conduct (ācāra) alongside knowledge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse is part of the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya setting, but this particular line focuses on inquiry into teachers rather than naming a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual (snāna, dāna, japa, vrata) is prescribed in this verse; it is a dialogic prompt.