Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

भक्त्यानुपतितं दृष्ट्वा चिरादादाय लोचनम् । को भवानित्युवाचेदं धर्मं धीमानपृच्छत

Transliteration

bhaktyānupatitaṃ dṛṣṭvā cirādādāya locanam | ko bhavānityuvācedaṃ dharmaṃ dhīmānapṛcchata

Translation

Nang makita siyang nagpatirapa sa debosyon, ang pantas na muni—matapos ang mahabang sandali—ay itinaas ang kanyang paningin at nagsabi, “Sino ka?”—sa gayon ay nagtanong siya ayon sa dharma.

Word by Word

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अनुपतितम्: one who had fallen down (in obeisance)
• अनुपतितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + पत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त

• चिरात्: after a long time
• चिरात्: Avyaya (Modifier/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादानार्थक-प्रयोग (ablatival adverb: 'after a long time')

• आदाय: having taken/raised
• आदाय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• लोचनम्: eye(s) (gaze)
• लोचनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (प्रश्न-सर्वनाम)

• भवान्: you (honorific)
• भवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (आदरार्थ-प्रयोगः)

• इति: thus
• इति: Avyaya (Quotative/उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्य-समाप्ति/उद्धरण-चिह्न (quotative particle)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• इदम्: this (statement)
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (सर्वनाम)

• धर्मम्: Dharma (personified)
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• धीमान्: wise
• धीमान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपृच्छत: asked
• अपृच्छत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (the sage’s words reported)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīra āśrama (dialogue locus)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sage slowly opens his eyes after meditation, lifting his gaze with calm gravity; Dharmasuta remains bowed; the atmosphere is charged with quiet authority as the question ‘Who are you?’ is posed.

Characters & Entities

• dhīmān (sage)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes both devotion and discernment: a sage acknowledges devotion yet asks identity and purpose in a proper, measured way.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā (Narmadā) sacred landscape, where saintly presence and dhārmic dialogue are central to tīrtha-mahātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed; the verse emphasizes dhārmic conduct in receiving a devotee—seeing, acknowledging, and inquiring appropriately.