Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

आहूय शतसंख्याकान्वृद्धान्वर्ष वरांस्तदा । आनेतुं प्रेषयामास कन्यामंतःपुरं तथा

Transliteration

āhūya śatasaṃkhyākānvṛddhānvarṣa varāṃstadā | ānetuṃ preṣayāmāsa kanyāmaṃtaḥpuraṃ tathā

Translation

แล้วพระองค์ทรงเรียกผู้เฒ่าผู้ทรงเกียรติผู้ประเสริฐจำนวนร้อยคนมา แล้วทรงส่งไปเพื่อนำกุมารีออกมาจากพระราชวังชั้นใน

Word by Word

• आहूय: having summoned
• आहूय: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह्वे (धातु) उपसर्गः आ-; क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (आहूय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• शतसंख्याकान्: numbering a hundred
• शतसंख्याकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक) + क (प्रातिपदिक/प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (शतेन संख्या येषाम्/शतसंख्यक), पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• वृद्धान्: elders
• वृद्धान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• वर्षवरान्: excellent men of years (venerable seniors)
• वर्षवरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (वर्षेषु वराः/वर्षवर), पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala-adhikarana (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्, कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• आनेतुम्: to bring
• आनेतुम्: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु) उपसर्गः आ-; तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त
• Form: तुमुनन्तम् (infinitive), प्रयोजनार्थकः (purpose)

• प्रेषयामास: sent/dispatched
• प्रेषयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रेषय् (धातु: प्र-ईष्/इष् causative sense) लिट्-लकारः
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect; narrative past), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• कन्याम्: the maiden
• कन्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• अन्तःपुरम्: the inner palace
• अन्तःपुरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तःपुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्, प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narration within Setukhaṇḍa; traditionally Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa to the sages in many recensions)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu narrative context

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king summons a hundred venerable elders—white-bearded, dignified—forming an assembly; he commissions them to bring the maiden from the inner palace.

Characters & Entities

• Svanaya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld through respected elders and proper procedure, especially in saṃskāras and auspicious transitions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu (Rāmeśvara/Setubandha) is the overarching sacred geography of this section, though the verse is about palace action.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, the verse reflects customary dharma: elders formally escort the bride as part of auspicious wedding protocol.