Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

उलूकं गृध्रराजश्च कार्यं पप्रच्छ तं तथा । म चाचख्यावयं मित्रं बको मेऽस्य मुनिः किल

Transliteration

ulūkaṃ gṛdhrarājaśca kāryaṃ papraccha taṃ tathā | ma cācakhyāvayaṃ mitraṃ bako me'sya muniḥ kila

Translation

兀鹫之王询问乌卢迦此行所为何事。乌卢迦便说明：“此人乃我等之友；而这位婆迦——人们如此传说——乃一位牟尼圣者。”

Word by Word

• उलूकम्: owl (as object)
• उलूकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उलूक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• गृध्रराजः: king of vultures
• गृध्रराजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृध्र-राज (प्रातिपदिक; गृध्र + राजन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• कार्यम्: matter; business
• कार्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पप्रच्छ: asked
• पप्रच्छ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तथा: thus; in that manner
• तथा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• मा: do not
• मा: Pratishedha (Prohibition/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (prohibitive particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• आचख्यौ: told; declared
• आचख्यौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मित्रम्: friend
• मित्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बकः: crane
• बकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मे: my; of me
• मे: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• अस्य: of this; his
• अस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मुनिः: sage
• मुनिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa, per Māheśvarakhaṇḍa convention)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka/ṛṣis (typical frame; not explicit here)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vulture-king confronts an owl (Ulūka) in a forested liminal space; the owl introduces a companion crane (Baka) reputed to be a sage; the moment is tense yet inquisitive.

Characters & Entities

• Ulūka
• Gṛdhrarāja
• Baka
• Mārkaṇḍeya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Truthful introduction and clarity of intention are part of dharma in any meeting—especially among elders and seekers.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is explicitly praised in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative exchange establishing identity and purpose.