Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

आत्मावलोकनार्थाय मया दृष्टाः सहस्रशः । योगिनो ज्ञानसंपन्नास्तैः प्रोक्तं च स्वशक्तितः

Transliteration

ātmāvalokanārthāya mayā dṛṣṭāḥ sahasraśaḥ | yogino jñānasaṃpannāstaiḥ proktaṃ ca svaśaktitaḥ

Translation

طلبًا لمشاهدةِ الذاتِ مشاهدةً مباشرة، لقيتُ آلافَ اليوغيين الموهوبين بالمعرفة الحقّة؛ وكان كلٌّ منهم، بحسب طاقته، يعلّمني ما عنده من علم.

Word by Word

• आत्मावलोकनार्थाय: for the purpose of self-observation
• आत्मावलोकनार्थाय: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् + अवलोकन + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (आत्मनः अवलोकनस्य अर्थः)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• दृष्टाः: were seen
• दृष्टाः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; √दृश्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

• सहस्रशः: by the thousand
• सहस्रशः: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/आवृत्तिवाचक (in thousands; repeatedly)

• योगिनः: yogins
• योगिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन

• ज्ञानसंपन्नाः: endowed with knowledge
• ज्ञानसंपन्नाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञान + संपन्न (प्रातिपदिक; √पद्/√पन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (ज्ञानेन संपन्नाः); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• प्रोक्तम्: was said/taught
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + उक्त (प्रातिपदिक; √वच्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; उपसर्गः प्र-

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

• स्वशक्तितः: according to (their) own ability
• स्वशक्तितः: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्व + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; पञ्चमी-अर्थे अव्यय (according to/from one’s own power)

Speaker

Narrator (a seeker within the Tīrthamāhātmya narrative; exact speaker not specified in the snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-seeker moving from hermitage to hermitage, meeting numerous yogins—some meditating, some teaching with hand-gestures, some studying śāstra—each offering a distinct instruction.

Characters & Entities

• yogin

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Self-realization may require seeking guidance widely, yet teachings differ according to each teacher’s capacity; discernment and perseverance are essential.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within a Tīrthamāhātmya context, but this particular line emphasizes the seeker’s quest rather than naming a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed here; the focus is on seeking instruction from realized yogins.