Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 104

Devanagari script

बहवोऽपि मया वृद्धा दृष्टाश्चोपासिताः सदा । तेषामीदृशका बुद्धिर्न दृष्टा न श्रुतामया

Transliteration

bahavo'pi mayā vṛddhā dṛṣṭāścopāsitāḥ sadā | teṣāmīdṛśakā buddhirna dṛṣṭā na śrutāmayā

Translation

我曾见过许多长者，也常常侍奉他们；然而在他们之中，我未曾见过，也未曾听闻如此的智慧。

Word by Word

• bahavaḥ: many
• bahavaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (also/even)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• vṛddhāḥ: elderly/learned
• vṛddhāḥ: Viśeṣya-anvaya (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vṛddha (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्तवत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• dṛṣṭāḥ: were seen
• dṛṣṭāḥ: Kriya (Passive predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛṣṭa (कृदन्त, √dṛś/दृश्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे (passive sense)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• upāsitāḥ: were served/worshipped
• upāsitāḥ: Kriya (Passive predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upāsita (कृदन्त, √ās/आस् with upa-)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: always)

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• īdṛśakā: such (of this kind)
• īdṛśakā: Viśeṣya-anvaya (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: īdṛśa (प्रातिपदिक) + ka (तद्धित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तद्धितान्त विशेषण (of such a kind)

• buddhiḥ: intellect/understanding
• buddhiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• dṛṣṭā: was seen
• dṛṣṭā: Kriya (Passive predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛṣṭa (कृदन्त, √dṛś/दृश्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे

• na: nor
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• śrutā: was heard
• śrutā: Kriya (Passive predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śruta (कृदन्त, √śru/श्रु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Nandabhadra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Child-form wise being

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nandabhadra gestures toward a line of venerable elders in the background, then turns back in awe to the youthful sage, acknowledging unprecedented insight.

Characters & Entities

• Nandabhadra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Wisdom is not guaranteed by age; discernment and spiritual insight may manifest independently of outward seniority.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned; the verse continues the interpersonal dialogue and recognition of wisdom.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it highlights upāsanā in the sense of respectful service and learning.