Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

अहं कमलजस्तत्र जातः पुत्रश्चतुर्मुखः । उदरं नाभिनालेन प्रविश्याथ व्यलोकयम्

Transliteration

ahaṃ kamalajastatra jātaḥ putraścaturmukhaḥ | udaraṃ nābhinālena praviśyātha vyalokayam

Translation

هناك وُلدتُ أنا، المولود من اللوتس، الابن ذو الوجوه الأربعة؛ ثم دخلتُ عبر ساق اللوتس من السُّرّة، فأبصرتُ ما في الداخل.

Word by Word

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kamalajaḥ: the lotus-born (Brahmā)
• kamalajaḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kamala-ja (प्रातिपदिक; कमल + ज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; कमलात् जायते इति (born from the lotus)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• jātaḥ: was born
• jātaḥ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु) + ta (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; भावे/कर्मणि प्रयोगः (having been born)

• putraḥ: son
• putraḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• caturmukhaḥ: four-faced
• caturmukhaḥ: Sambandha (Qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur-mukha (प्रातिपदिक; चतुर् + मुख)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः = whose faces are four

• udaram: the belly/abdomen
• udaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• nābhinālena: by the navel-stalk
• nābhinālena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nābhi-nāla (प्रातिपदिक; नाभि + नाल)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• praviśya: having entered
• praviśya: Kriya (Prior action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-viś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having entered)

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• vyalokayam: I looked/observed
• vyalokayam: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-ā-lok (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past); उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Padmanābha-nābhi (mythic)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā, four-faced, newly born on the lotus, descends/enters the hollow lotus-stalk toward the navel of Viṣṇu, peering into a luminous cosmic interior.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the creator seeks understanding; inquiry and vision precede ordered creation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is part of a cosmological exposition within the broader māhātmya frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.