Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

एतमेव पुरा प्रश्नं पृष्टवाञ्जनमेजयः । वैशंपायनसंज्ञं तु शिष्यं द्वैपायनस्य ह

Transliteration

etameva purā praśnaṃ pṛṣṭavāñjanamejayaḥ | vaiśaṃpāyanasaṃjñaṃ tu śiṣyaṃ dvaipāyanasya ha

Translation

“这同一问题，往昔曾由阇那美阇耶（Janamejaya）提出，询问那名为毗舍波耶那（Vaiśaṃpāyana）者——岛生（Dvaipāyana，毗耶娑Vyāsa）的弟子。”

Word by Word

• एतम्: this
• एतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Avyaya (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphasis/only)

• पुरा: formerly/once
• पुरा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (formerly/once)

• प्रश्नम्: question
• प्रश्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रश्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• पृष्टवान्: asked
• पृष्टवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त (Past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग

• जनमेजयः: Janamejaya
• जनमेजयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनमेजय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वैशंपायनसंज्ञम्: named Vaiśaṃpāyana
• वैशंपायनसंज्ञम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैशंपायन + संज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; 'वैशंपायन-नामक' इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• तु: and/but
• तु: Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (contrast/emphasis)

• शिष्यम्: disciple
• शिष्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• द्वैपायनस्य: of Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa)
• द्वैपायनस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वैपायन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• ह: indeed/forsooth
• ह: Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (smṛti/itiha marker, emphasis)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā/Narmadā tīrtha inquiry (framed by Janamejaya’s question)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A royal court-sacrifice setting: King Janamejaya respectfully questions sage Vaiśaṃpāyana; Vyāsa’s presence is implied as the guru in the background, emphasizing lineage.

Characters & Entities

• Janamejaya
• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred knowledge is preserved through guru-śiṣya lineage; sincere questioning (praśna) is itself a Dharmic act.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not named here; the verse establishes the narrative pedigree for teachings about Revā/Narmadā tīrthas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it frames the authority of the coming tīrtha-mahātmya by citing earlier royal inquiry.