Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

इत्युक्ते शिवदूतैस्तैरपृच्छं पुनरप्यहम् । विस्मयाविष्टचित्तस्तान्कृतांजलिरवस्थितः

Transliteration

ityukte śivadūtaistairapṛcchaṃ punarapyaham | vismayāviṣṭacittastānkṛtāṃjaliravasthitaḥ

Translation

Khi các sứ giả của Śiva nói như vậy, tôi lại hỏi họ lần nữa. Tâm trí tràn đầy kinh ngạc, tôi đứng trước họ với hai tay chắp lại.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उक्त्यन्त-निपातः) / Quotative particle

• उक्ते: when (it was) said
• उक्ते: Adhikarana/Context (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सप्तमी-निरपेक्षे/लोके) / Past participle ‘said’, Locative singular (locative absolute)

• शिवदूतैः: by Śiva's messengers
• शिवदूतैः: Karana/Agent (करण/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + दूत (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन / Masculine, Instrumental plural; ‘by Śiva’s messengers’

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karana/Agent (करण/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन / Pronoun, Instrumental plural

• अपृच्छम्: I asked
• अपृच्छम्: Kriya/Action (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन / Imperfect, 1st person singular

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (पुनरावृत्त्यर्थक) / Adverb ‘again’

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/अपि-कार) / Particle ‘also/even’

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta/Subject (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन / Pronoun, Nominative singular

• विस्मयाविष्टचित्तः: whose mind was filled with astonishment
• विस्मयाविष्टचित्तः: Visheshana/Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्मय + आविष्ट (आ+विश्-धातोः क्त) + चित्त (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन / Masculine, Nominative singular; समासः—विस्मयेन आविष्टं चित्तं यस्य

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma/Object (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्ग / Pronoun, Accusative plural, Masculine

• कृताञ्जलिः: with hands joined in reverence
• कृताञ्जलिः: Visheshana/Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ-धातोः क्त) + अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन / Masculine, Nominative singular; ‘अञ्जलिः कृतः’

• अवस्थितः: stood
• अवस्थितः: Kriya/Action (क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + स्था (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन / Past participle ‘stood/was stationed’, Masculine nominative singular

Speaker

Yamadūta (narrating his own reaction)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śiva-dūtas

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The narrator stands with folded hands, eyes widened in wonder, leaning slightly forward as he asks again; the Śiva-messengers remain poised and luminous, creating a devotional tension between awe and inquiry.

Characters & Entities

• Śivadūtas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True authority inspires humility; even powerful beings show reverence when confronted with higher dharmic power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is indicated; it is a narrative transition within the dialogue.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A gesture of devotion is implied: standing with folded hands (añjali) as respectful conduct.