Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

तत आहूय पत्नीं स्वां शबरो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । न लब्धं मे चिताभस्म किं करोमि वद प्रिये

Transliteration

tata āhūya patnīṃ svāṃ śabaro vākyamabravīt | na labdhaṃ me citābhasma kiṃ karomi vada priye

Translation

பின்பு சபரன் தன் மனைவியை அழைத்து கூறினான்—“எனக்கு சிதையின் பஸ்மம் கிடைக்கவில்லை. இப்போது நான் என்ன செய்வேன்? பிரியே, சொல்.”

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनन्तर/तस्मात् (then/thereupon)

• āhūya: having called
• āhūya: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: āhūya (कृदन्त-अव्यय; √hū (हू) with ā-)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): having called

• patnīm: wife
• patnīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patnī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• svām: his own
• svām: Karma (Qualifier of object/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; स्वकीयार्थक (one's own)

• śabaraḥ: the Śabara (tribesman)
• śabaraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śabara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• vākyam: words; a statement
• vākyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• abravīt: said
• abravīt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (ब्रू)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• labdham: (it is) not found
• labdham: Kriya (Predicate state/भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: labdha (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √labh (लभ्))
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त/क्त (obtained/found) — here predicate with implicit 'asti'

• me: for me / by me
• me: Sampradana (Possessor/सम्प्रदान-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (of me/to me)

• citābhasma: pyre-ashes
• citābhasma: Karta (Subject of 'labdham (asti)'/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: citā + bhasma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ashes of the pyre)

• kim: what
• kim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक (what)

• karomi: shall I do / do I do
• karomi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• vada: tell
• vada: Kriya (Command/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad (वद्)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• priye: O dear (wife)
• priye: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; प्रिय-शब्द (O dear)

Speaker

Śabara

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside a humble hut, the Śabara calls his wife; he gestures with open palms in worry, while she listens attentively, suggesting practical wisdom and compassion.

Characters & Entities

• Śabara
• Śabarāṅganā (wife)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When devotion faces a practical obstacle, the devotee seeks counsel and acts thoughtfully rather than abandoning worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it centers on domestic devotion and ritual necessity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Citābhasma is treated as a needed ritual substance for Śiva-pūjā.