Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

पुरा किलैवं मुनयो नैमिषारण्यवासिनः । संदिह्यांतः श्रेष्ठतायां ब्रह्मलोकमुपागमन्

Transliteration

purā kilaivaṃ munayo naimiṣāraṇyavāsinaḥ | saṃdihyāṃtaḥ śreṣṭhatāyāṃ brahmalokamupāgaman

Translation

久远以前，住在奈弥沙林的诸牟尼，因疑惑谁为至上，便前往梵天界（Brahmaloka）。

Word by Word

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb of time: formerly)

• किल: indeed/it is said
• किल: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (indeed/it is said)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus)

• मुनयः: sages
• मुनयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• नैमिषारण्यवासिनः: dwelling in Naimiṣa forest
• नैमिषारण्यवासिनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नैमिष-अरण्य-वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक: नैमिष + अरण्य + वासिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (मुनयः)

• सन्दिह्यन्तः: doubting
• सन्दिह्यन्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-दिह् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद-भाव

• श्रेष्ठतायाम्: regarding superiority / in the matter of superiority
• श्रेष्ठतायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेष्ठता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मलोकम्: Brahmā’s world
• ब्रह्मलोकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मलोक (प्रातिपदिक: ब्रह्मन् + लोक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उपागमन्: went/approached
• उपागमन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist/Imperfective past), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Mahākāla (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Naimiṣāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Karadhama

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A procession of sages from the sacrificial groves of Naimiṣāraṇya, carrying kamaṇḍalus and darbha, ascending through luminous planes toward Brahmaloka.

Characters & Entities

• Munis
• Naimiṣāraṇya
• Brahmaloka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When doubt arises about ultimate truth, seekers should approach higher knowledge sources with sincerity and discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Naimiṣāraṇya is referenced as a revered forest hermitage of sages, central to Purāṇic sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the implied discipline is seeking authoritative guidance (approaching Brahmaloka/teachers) to resolve doubt.