Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

भूतं भव्यं भविष्यच्च यत्सुरासुरमानवे । तात ते विदितं सर्वं तेन मे कौतुकं महत्

Transliteration

bhūtaṃ bhavyaṃ bhaviṣyacca yatsurāsuramānave | tāta te viditaṃ sarvaṃ tena me kautukaṃ mahat

Translation

ماضی، حال اور مستقبل—جو کچھ دیوتاؤں، اسوروں اور انسانوں سے متعلق ہے—اے محترم! وہ سب آپ کو معلوم ہے؛ اسی لیے میری جستجو بہت عظیم ہے۔

Word by Word

• भूतम्: the past (what has been)
• भूतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• भव्यम्: the future (what is to be)
• भव्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• भविष्यत्: the future (what will be)
• भविष्यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present/future active participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• सुरासुरमानवे: among gods, demons, and humans
• सुरासुरमानवे: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरासुरमानव (प्रातिपदिक; सुर + असुर + मानव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तात: O dear one/father
• तात: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• ते: to you/for you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• विदितम्: known
• विदितम्: Kriya (Predicate complement/क्रिया-विशेष्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• तेन: therefore, by that
• तेन: Hetu/Karana (Cause/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• कौतुकम्: curiosity
• कौतुकम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौतुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Yudhiṣṭhira (continuing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija/ṛṣi

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yudhiṣṭhira praises the sage’s omniscience across the three times and across beings (devas, asuras, humans), then expresses heightened curiosity; the sage remains tranquil, embodying time-transcending insight.

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Devas
• Asuras
• Humans

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverent questioning of a seer is upheld as a dharmic method for receiving sacred geography and theological insight.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ongoing context is Nāgatīrtha; this verse functions as a narrative bridge rather than direct praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a request for authoritative narration.