Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

अशनादिष्वलिप्तं च पंडितं नालसं द्विजम् । बहुश्रुतं चित्रकथं नारदं प्रणमाम्यहम्

Transliteration

aśanādiṣvaliptaṃ ca paṃḍitaṃ nālasaṃ dvijam | bahuśrutaṃ citrakathaṃ nāradaṃ praṇamāmyaham

Translation

أنحني بخشوعٍ أمام نارادا—ذلك البراهمن المولود مرتين، غير المتلطّخ بأمور الطعام وما شابهها؛ غير كسولٍ قط؛ واسع العلم؛ وراوٍ عجيبٌ لكثيرٍ من الحكايات.

Word by Word

• अशनादिषु: in eating and the like
• अशनादिषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशन + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Locative plural ‘in eating etc.’

• अलिप्तम्: unattached, untainted
• अलिप्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + लिप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘unattached/unsmeared’; विशेषण (नारदम्)

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

• पण्डितम्: learned, wise
• पण्डितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पण्डित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular; विशेषण (नारदम्)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय; negation (in compound-like usage with alasa)

• आलसम्: lazy
• आलसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आलस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular; विशेषण (नारदम्)

• द्विजम्: twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• बहुश्रुतम्: well-versed, much-heard
• बहुश्रुतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु + श्रुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular; ‘one who has heard much’; विशेषण (नारदम्)

• चित्रकथम्: of wondrous discourse
• चित्रकथम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्र + कथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular; ‘of wonderful stories/speech’; विशेषण (नारदम्)

• नारदम्: Narada
• नारदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• प्रणमामि: I bow down to
• प्रणमामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; Present indicative, 1st sg

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun, nominative singular

Speaker

Unspecified (Kaumārikākhaṇḍa context: Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa addressing sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nārada as dynamic storyteller: vīṇā nearby, expressive hand gestures, listeners gathered—pilgrims, devas, sages—rapt attention; symbols of detachment (simple bowl, minimal possessions).

Characters & Entities

• Nārada

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A saintly life combines learning, disciplined effort, and detachment from bodily preoccupations.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is mentioned; the verse praises Nārada’s qualities as a spiritual exemplar.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it is a hymn of salutation highlighting virtues (guṇas) worthy of emulation.