Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

एवंविधान् द्विजान् दृष्ट्वा जानुभ्यामवनिं गतः । प्रणम्य शिरसा राजन्राजा वचनमब्रवीत्

Transliteration

evaṃvidhān dvijān dṛṣṭvā jānubhyāmavaniṃ gataḥ | praṇamya śirasā rājanrājā vacanamabravīt

Translation

Thấy những vị dvija (Bà-la-môn) như thế, nhà vua quỳ gối xuống đất. Cúi đầu đảnh lễ, hỡi Đại vương, rồi nhà vua cất lời như sau.

Word by Word

• एवंविधान्: such (as these)
• एवंविधान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एवं + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषण—एवं-विध (of such a kind)

• द्विजान्: Brahmins / twice-born
• द्विजान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भाव (gerund/absolutive); ‘having seen’

• जानुभ्याम्: with (his) two knees
• जानुभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जानु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), द्विवचन

• अवनिम्: the ground/earth
• अवनिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गतः: went/approached (fell to the ground)
• गतः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकालिक क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग—‘gone/approached’

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भाव (gerund); ‘having bowed’

• शिरसा: with (his) head
• शिरसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वचनम्: words/speech
• वचनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king approaches a gathering of austere brāhmaṇas on the riverbank; he descends to his knees and bows his head in full humility, hands folded, as the ascetics sit calmly with water pots and rosaries; the moment is charged with reverent silence before speech begins.

Characters & Entities

• Citrasena (king)
• Dvijas (brāhmaṇas/ṛṣis)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even royal power is fulfilled only through humility and reverence toward the spiritually accomplished and learned.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse prepares the inquiry that leads to a specific tīrtha in the Revā-kṣetra; the site is named in the following verses.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The implied dharma is respectful prostration and proper approach to sages when seeking sacred knowledge.