Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

अतः परं तु यच्छ्रेयं कर्तव्यं प्रोन्नतिप्रदम् । ततो भेमिस्तमालिंग्य पुत्रं वचनमब्रवीत्

Transliteration

ataḥ paraṃ tu yacchreyaṃ kartavyaṃ pronnatipradam | tato bhemistamāliṃgya putraṃ vacanamabravīt

Translation

“如今，告诉我们当行何事最为善妙——能赐真正的升进与卓越之行。”说罢，拜弥拥抱其子，开口如是言。

Word by Word

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu/Prayojana (Cause/Reason)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/तस्मात्-अर्थे (indeclinable; ‘therefore/from this’)

• परम्: further/next
• परम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावप्रायम्; क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (indeclinable/adverbial use: ‘further/next’)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• यत्: which/that
• यत्: Viśeṣya-sambandha (Relative connector)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative sg; relative pronoun)

• श्रेयम्: the better/good
• श्रेयम्: Karma/Viśeṣya (Object/that which is good)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nom/acc sg)

• कर्तव्यम्: to be done
• कर्तव्यम्: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (Predicative qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (gerundive; neuter nom/acc sg; ‘to be done’)

• प्रोन्नतिप्रदम्: granting advancement
• प्रोन्नतिप्रदम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of कर्तव्यम्/श्रेयम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रोन्नति (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (प्रोन्नतेः प्रदम् = ‘giver of elevation’)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kāla/Anantarya (Temporal sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्/तदनन्तरम्-अर्थे (indeclinable: ‘then/thereupon’)

• भेमिः: Bhemi (proper name)
• भेमिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine, nominative sg)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (masculine, accusative sg)

• आलिङ्ग्य: having embraced
• आलिङ्ग्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + लिङ्ग् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having embraced)

• पुत्रम्: son
• पुत्रम्: Karma (Object of आलिङ्ग्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (masculine, accusative sg)

• वचनम्: words/speech
• वचनम्: Karma (Object of अब्रवीत्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, accusative sg)

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (imperfect, 3rd sg, parasmaipada)

Speaker

Narrator (Lomaharṣaṇa/Sūta) describing Bhaimi’s response

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A mother (Bhaimī) embraces her heroic son in a domestic yet solemn moment, then speaks with gravity, initiating a dharmic quest.

Characters & Entities

• Bhaimi
• son (later Barbarīka)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma grows through guidance: elders respond to a sincere quest for śreyas with instruction rooted in affection and responsibility.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it introduces counsel about what should be done next.