Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

नारद उवाच । कमठस्यैतदाकर्ण्य सोऽतिथिर्वचनं महत् । मनसैव प्रशस्यामुं प्रश्नमेनमथाकरोत्

Transliteration

nārada uvāca | kamaṭhasyaitadākarṇya so'tithirvacanaṃ mahat | manasaiva praśasyāmuṃ praśnamenamathākarot

Translation

नारद उवाच—कमठस्यैतद् महद्वचनम् आकर्ण्य स अतिथिः मनसैव तम् प्रशस्य, अनन्तरं प्रश्नमेनम् अकरोत्।

Word by Word

• नारदः: Narada
• नारदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• कमठस्य: of Kamaṭha
• कमठस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कमठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• आकर्ण्य: having heard
• आकर्ण्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + कर्ण् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having heard’

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अतिथिः: the guest
• अतिथिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• वचनम्: speech; statement
• वचनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier) of ‘वचनम्’

• मनसा: with the mind
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• प्रशस्य: having praised
• प्रशस्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + शंस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having praised/approved’

• अमुम्: that (person)
• अमुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रश्नम्: question
• प्रश्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रश्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• एनम्: this (him/it)
• एनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Avyaya (Discourse marker/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (sequencing particle)

• अकरोत्: made; posed
• अकरोत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

Speaker

Nārada

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A quiet hermitage setting: Nārada narrates as a guest, having heard Kamaṭha’s words, inwardly praises him and prepares to ask a profound question.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Kamaṭha
• Atithi (guest)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True teaching begins with reverent listening and inner appreciation, leading to sincere inquiry into life’s deepest questions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned; the verse functions as narrative transition to a metaphysical inquiry.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it introduces a question within a dialogue framework.