Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

कश्चित्तो यभृतं कुम्भं गृहीत्वा नर आव्रजत् । सतं प्रणम्य प्राहेदं कालभीतिं प्रहर्षतः

Transliteration

kaścitto yabhṛtaṃ kumbhaṃ gṛhītvā nara āvrajat | sataṃ praṇamya prāhedaṃ kālabhītiṃ praharṣataḥ

Translation

随后有一人前来，手持盛满清水的水罐。他向那位圣洁的苦行者顶礼，并欢喜地对迦罗毗提（Kālabhīti）说了这些话。

Word by Word

• कश्चित्: someone
• कश्चित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कश्चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• तोयभृतम्: filled with water
• तोयभृतम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तोय+भृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारयवत्/उपपद: तोयं भृतं यस्मिन्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; कुम्भम् इति विशेषण

• कुम्भम्: a pot
• कुम्भम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• गृहीत्वा: having taken
• गृहीत्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having taken)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; कश्चित् इति समानाधिकरण

• आव्रजत्: came/approached
• आव्रजत्: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सतम्: the holy man
• सतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; (सन्तम्) साधु/महात्मानम्

• प्रणम्य: having bowed to
• प्रणम्य: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having bowed)

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+अह्/ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• कालभीतिम्: to Kālabhīti
• कालभीतिम्: Sampradana (Addressee/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल+भीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: कालस्य भीतिः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे (addressed as name)

• प्रहर्षतः: rejoicingly
• प्रहर्षतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+हृष् (धातु) → प्रहर्षत् (शतृ)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle) used adverbially; पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); एकवचन; (तस्य) प्रहर्षतः = while rejoicing

Speaker

Narrative voice (Maheshvara Khanda context: Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa relating events)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A traveler arrives holding a brimming water-pot, bows to the emaciated yet radiant ascetic, and speaks with visible joy; the contrast between the pot’s fullness and the ascetic’s long restraint is central.

Characters & Entities

• Kālabhīti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Serving a tapasvin—especially at the moment of vow-completion—is portrayed as meritorious and joy-giving.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The episode occurs within a tīrtha setting in the chapter, but this verse does not specify the site’s name.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bringing water in a kumbha and respectfully offering it to a saint/ascetic.