Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

एतत्ते चरितं राजन्महदाश्चर्यकारणम् । क्व ते महादुराचारः क्व भक्तिः परमेश्वरे

Transliteration

etatte caritaṃ rājanmahadāścaryakāraṇam | kva te mahādurācāraḥ kva bhaktiḥ parameśvare

Translation

“ข้าแต่พระราชา ความประพฤติของพระองค์นี้ชวนให้พิศวงยิ่งนัก ที่ใดคือความทุจริตอันร้ายแรงของพระองค์ และที่ใดคือภักติของพระองค์ต่อพระปรเมศวร?”

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (6th/Genitive), एकवचनम्; (enclitic)

• चरितम्: conduct/deed
• चरितम्: Karta (Subject complement/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित (चर् धातु, क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (deed/behavior)

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (Vocative), एकवचनम्

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्

• आश्चर्यकारणम्: a cause of wonder
• आश्चर्यकारणम्: Karta (Predicate nominal/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्चर्य-कारण (प्रातिपदिक; आश्चर्य + कारण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: आश्चर्यस्य कारणम्)

• क्व: where (is)
• क्व: Kriya-visheshana (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रश्नार्थक-अव्ययम् (interrogative adverb: where/how)

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (6th/Genitive), एकवचनम्; (enclitic)

• महादुराचारः: great wicked conduct
• महादुराचारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-दुराचार (प्रातिपदिक; महा + दुराचार)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्; समासः—कर्मधारयः (महान् दुराचारः)

• क्व: where (is)
• क्व: Kriya-visheshana (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रश्नार्थक-अव्ययम्

• भक्तिः: devotion
• भक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्

• परमेश्वरे: in the Supreme Lord
• परमेश्वरे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; परम + ईश्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (7th/Locative), एकवचनम्; समासः—कर्मधारयः (परमः ईश्वरः)

Speaker

Kumudvatī (the queen)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close-up dialogue: the queen, earnest and astonished, gestures as if weighing two opposites; the king sits composed, hinting at hidden knowledge; the atmosphere is tense yet contemplative.

Characters & Entities

• Kumudvatī
• king
• Parameśvara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True devotion is expected to transform conduct; the verse raises the classic Purāṇic tension between outward vice and claimed bhakti.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named here; the focus is theological—devotion to Parameśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a probing question about the authenticity of devotion.