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Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 16

तस्मादन्वेष्यतां वह्निर्यत्र तिष्ठति सांप्रतम् । यथा चरति मर्त्ये च तथा नीतिर्विधीयताम्

tasmādanveṣyatāṃ vahniryatra tiṣṭhati sāṃpratam | yathā carati martye ca tathā nītirvidhīyatām

پس آگنی دیو کو تلاش کیا جائے کہ وہ اس وقت کہاں مقیم ہے۔ اور مرتیہ لوک میں وہ جیسا عمل کر رہا ہے، اسی کے مطابق مناسب تدبیر و نیتی مقرر کی جائے۔

tasmāttherefore, from that
tasmāt:
Hetu/Apadana (Cause/अपादान-हेतु)
TypeNoun
Roottad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; हेतौ/अपादानम् — ‘from that/therefore’
anveṣyatāmlet (him/it) be sought
anveṣyatām:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√iṣ (इष्/एष् धातु; अन्वेषणे)
Formलोट् (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive imperative) — ‘let it be searched for’
vahniḥfire (Agni)
vahniḥ:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootvahni (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे कर्म-स्थानिकः (object in passive)
yatrawhere
yatra:
Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyatra (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (सम्बन्ध/देशवाचक) — ‘where’
tiṣṭhatistands, stays
tiṣṭhati:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√sthā (स्था धातु)
Formलट् (वर्तमान/Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्
sāṃpratamat present
sāṃpratam:
Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsāṃprata (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययप्राय)
Formअव्यय (कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण) — ‘now/at present’
yathāas, in the way that
yathā:
Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyathā (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (उपमान/प्रकारवाचक) — ‘as/in whatever manner’
caratimoves, behaves
carati:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√car (चर् धातु)
Formलट् (वर्तमान/Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्
martyeamong mortals / in the mortal world
martye:
Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootmartya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरणम् (locus)
caand
ca:
Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (समुच्चय) — conjunction ‘and’
tathāso, likewise
tathā:
Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottathā (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (तुल्यप्रकारवाचक) — ‘so/in that manner’
nītiḥpolicy, course of action
nītiḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootnīti (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्ता (कर्मणि-प्रयोगे)
vidhīyatāmlet it be arranged/decided
vidhīyatām:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√dhā (धा धातु)
Formलोट् (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः — ‘let it be arranged/ordained’ (वि + धीयते)

Devas (inferred: collective decision following their counsel)

Listener: Devas (and the primary audience within the frame narrative)

Scene: A council-like moment: divine figures decide to locate Agni, gesturing toward the earth’s expanse, mapping a search.

A
Agni (Vahni)
D
Devas (implied)

FAQs

When dharma is disrupted, restoration requires deliberate seeking, discernment, and right action aligned with the underlying cause.

No tīrtha is directly named; the verse is a decision-point in the Arbuda Khaṇḍa narrative leading toward restoration.

A practical directive is implied: locate and re-establish Agni so yajña and dhārmic rites can resume.