Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

विलपंतं समालोक्य गोविंदस्वामिनं द्विजाः । वणिक्समुद्रदत्ताख्यः समानिन्ये निजं गृहम्

Transliteration

vilapaṃtaṃ samālokya goviṃdasvāminaṃ dvijāḥ | vaṇiksamudradattākhyaḥ samāninye nijaṃ gṛham

Translation

เมื่อเหล่าทวิชะเห็นโควินทสวามิน พราหมณ์ผู้กำลังคร่ำครวญ พ่อค้าชื่อสมุทรทัตตะจึงพาเขาไปยังเรือนของตน

Word by Word

• विलपन्तम्: lamenting
• विलपन्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + लप् (धातु) → विलपन्त् (शतृ-कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘गोविन्दस्वामिनम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• समालोक्य: having seen
• समालोक्य: Purvakala-kriya (Absolutive/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + लोक् (धातु) → समालोक्य (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया

• गोविन्दस्वामिनम्: Govinda-svāmin (named person)
• गोविन्दस्वामिनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द + स्वामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (गोविन्दः एव स्वामी)

• द्विजाः: brāhmaṇas
• द्विजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• वणिक्समुद्रदत्ताख्यः: (one) named the merchant Samudradatta
• वणिक्समुद्रदत्ताख्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वणिक् + समुद्रदत्त + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वणिक्-समुद्रदत्त इति आख्यः = named ‘merchant Samudradatta’)

• समआनिन्ये: brought (him)
• समआनिन्ये: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + नी (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• निजम्: his own
• निजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘गृहम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• गृहम्: house
• गृहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setukṣetra / Setubandha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka-group (frame assumed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A merchant (Samudradatta) respectfully approaches the grieving brāhmaṇa Govindasvāmin and escorts him toward a well-kept house; townsfolk watch; the mood is compassionate and practical.

Characters & Entities

• Govindasvāmin
• Samudradatta (merchant)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is expressed through compassion and sheltering the distressed; supporting a brāhmaṇa or sufferer is presented as meritorious conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The wider setting is Setu-kṣetra in Setukhaṇḍa; this verse highlights social dharma rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite is prescribed, but the act of receiving and caring for a guest functions as lived dharma.