Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 39
Devanagari script
वक्तुमर्हसि धर्मज्ञ मम सर्वार्थसाधकम्
Transliteration
vaktumarhasi dharmajña mama sarvārthasādhakam
Translation
धर्मज्ञ, मम सर्वार्थसाधकं यत्, तत् वक्तुमर्हसि॥
Word by Word
वक्तुम्to speak
वक्तुम्:
Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
TypeVerb
Root√vac (धातु) + tumun (कृदन्त)
Formतुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-रूप (infinitive): ‘to speak’
अर्हसिyou ought, you are fit
अर्हसि:
Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√arh (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (2nd person singular, present)
धर्मज्ञO knower of dharma
धर्मज्ञ:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootdharma + jña (प्रातिपदिक); समास
Formपुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Vocative, Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘धर्मस्य ज्ञः’
ममmy
मम:
Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम; षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Pronoun, Genitive, Singular)
सर्व-अर्थ-साधकम्that which accomplishes all aims
सर्व-अर्थ-साधकम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootsarva + artha + sādhaka (प्रातिपदिक); समास
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘सर्वेषाम् अर्थानां साधकम्’ (accomplisher of all aims); विशेषण (qualifying implied ‘वचनम्/उपदेशम्’)
Speaker
An unnamed questioner (listener not identified in snippet)
Skanda Dialogue
Listener: Śaunaka and other ṛṣis (frame typical)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A seeker with folded hands addresses a seated dharma-knower; the posture conveys humility and readiness for instruction; a manuscript or vīṇā (Sarasvatī association) hints at forthcoming ‘sāra’.
FAQs
A sincere seeker requests decisive guidance: the single most effective dharmic teaching that fulfills life’s highest goals.
None; it is a request for instruction.
None; it is an appeal to a dharma-expert for the supreme means.