Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

अयमर्थः पुरा पृष्टो रोहिताश्वेन धीमता । सर्वविप्रविनाशार्थं मार्कंडेयं महामुनिम्

Transliteration

ayamarthaḥ purā pṛṣṭo rohitāśvena dhīmatā | sarvavipravināśārthaṃ mārkaṃḍeyaṃ mahāmunim

Translation

เรื่องนี้เองในกาลก่อน โรหิตาศวะผู้มีปัญญาได้ทูลถามมหามุนีมารกัณฑेय เพื่อมุ่งปัดเป่าความพินาศของพราหมณ์ทั้งปวง

Word by Word

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (demonstrative adjective)

• अर्थः: matter / meaning
• अर्थः: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (formerly)

• पृष्टः: was asked
• पृष्टः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त-भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• रोहिताश्वेन: by Rohitāśva
• रोहिताश्वेन: Kartr (कर्ता/agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोहिताश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• धीमता: by the wise one
• धीमता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifying Rohitāśva)

• सर्व-विप्र-विनाश-अर्थम्: for the destruction of all brāhmaṇas
• सर्व-विप्र-विनाश-अर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + विनाश (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (विनाशस्य अर्थः/प्रयोजनम्; सर्वविप्राणां विनाशः); ‘अर्थम्’ इत्यन्तं प्रयोजनार्थे अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः (purpose-accusative used adverbially)

• मार्कण्डेयम्: Mārkaṇḍeya
• मार्कण्डेयम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• महामुनिम्: the great sage
• महामुनिम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā (प्रातिपदिक) + मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समासः (महान् मुनिः); पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Sūta (narrating)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A forest hermitage: the sage Mārkaṇḍeya seated on kuśa-grass, surrounded by disciples; King Rohitāśva approaches with folded hands, expressing anxiety for the protection of brāhmaṇas and dharma.

Characters & Entities

• Rohitāśva
• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Vipras (brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma ties cosmic well-being to the protection of sacred learning and its custodians; inquiries into dharma are framed as acts of public good.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it signals a narrative transition to an earlier dialogue tradition within the māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse introduces a dharma-focused inquiry connected with safeguarding the vipras.