Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 89

Devanagari script

उपसृत्य ततो भीमो बर्बरीकमपृच्छत । ब्रूह्येते केन निहता धार्तराष्ट्रा हि शत्रवः

Transliteration

upasṛtya tato bhīmo barbarīkamapṛcchata | brūhyete kena nihatā dhārtarāṣṭrā hi śatravaḥ

Translation

ततः भीम उपसृत्य बर्बरीकमपृच्छत्—ब्रूहि, एते धार्तराष्ट्रा शत्रवः केन निहताः?॥

Word by Word

• उपसृत्य: having approached
• उपसृत्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + सृ (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम/स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (then/from there)

• भीमः: Bhīma
• भीमः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• बर्बरीकम्: Barbarīka
• बर्बरीकम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बर्बरीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन

• अपृच्छत: asked
• अपृच्छत: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ब्रूहि: tell (me)
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन (2nd person singular)

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject of passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन (Nominative plural)

• केन: by whom
• केन: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम; पुं/नपुंसक; तृतीया; एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• निहताः: killed/slain
• निहताः: Kriya (Predicate in passive sense)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + हन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकाले क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन

• धार्तराष्ट्राः: the Dhārtarāṣṭras (sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra)
• धार्तराष्ट्राः: Karta (Apposition to ‘these’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धार्तराष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis/for)

• शत्रवः: enemies
• शत्रवः: Karta (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन

Speaker

Narrator (reporting Bhīma’s action and question)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bhīma strides toward Barbarīka amid the aftermath of combat, asking directly who truly slew the Dhārtarāṣṭras; Barbarīka poised as calm seer-warrior.

Characters & Entities

• Bhīma
• Barbarīka
• Dhārtarāṣṭras (Kauravas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True understanding of dharma comes through inquiry; the narrative sets up a revelation about the deeper cause behind apparent outcomes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.