Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा त्वां तु महाप्राज्ञं शांतं दांतं तपोनिधिम् । किंचित्प्रष्टुमना विप्र तदाख्याहि यथार्थवत्

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā tvāṃ tu mahāprājñaṃ śāṃtaṃ dāṃtaṃ taponidhim | kiṃcitpraṣṭumanā vipra tadākhyāhi yathārthavat

Translation

“เมื่อได้เห็นท่านผู้มีปัญญายิ่ง สงบ สำรวม เป็นขุมทรัพย์แห่งตบะ โอ้พราหมณ์ ข้าพเจ้าปรารถนาจะถามบางประการ ขอท่านโปรดบอกตามความจริงโดยแท้”

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वयार्थक (but/indeed)

• महाप्राज्ञम्: very wise
• महाप्राज्ञम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + प्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (त्वाम्)

• शान्तम्: peaceful
• शान्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शम् (धातु) → शान्त (कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (त्वाम्)

• दान्तम्: self-controlled
• दान्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दम् (धातु) → दान्त (कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (त्वाम्)

• तपोनिधिम्: treasure of austerity
• तपोनिधिम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तपसां निधिः)

• किंचित्: something/a little
• किंचित्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंचित् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; अल्पपरिमाणवाचक

• प्रष्टुमना: desirous-minded to ask
• प्रष्टुमना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-श्न (धातु) → प्रष्टुम् (तुमुन्) + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक) → प्रष्टुमनस्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तुमुन्-तत्पुरुष (प्रष्टुं मनः यस्य)

• विप्र: O Brahmin
• विप्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• तत्: that (matter)
• तत्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आख्याहि: tell/declare
• आख्याहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ख्या (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• यथार्थवत्: truthfully/accurately
• यथार्थवत्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित) → यथार्थवत्
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (in accordance with truth)

Speaker

Rājā (King)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vipra (brāhmaṇa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king, having observed the sage’s serenity and austerity, leans forward to ask a question; the sage sits composed, embodying śama-dama.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A seeker should approach the शांत (peaceful) and दान्त (self-mastered) teacher and request truth without distortion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The dialogue belongs to Kāśī’s sacred narrative frame, but no particular tīrtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it models the dharmic method of inquiry (praśna) to a worthy teacher.