Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

ततः समीपमगमद्दंडाकारं प्रणम्य च । अब्रवीत्प्रांजलिर्भूत्वा विनयावनतः स्थितः

Transliteration

tataḥ samīpamagamaddaṃḍākāraṃ praṇamya ca | abravītprāṃjalirbhūtvā vinayāvanataḥ sthitaḥ

Translation

ثم دنا، فسجد سُجودًا كاملًا ممدودًا كالعصا، وقدّم السجود. ثم ضمّ كفّيه وتكلّم وهو قائمٌ منحنٍ بتواضع.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikaraṇa (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — thereafter

• समीपम्: near
• समीपम्: Adhikaraṇa (Place/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक) — ‘near(ly), to the vicinity’

• अगमत्: went
• अगमत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन — ‘he went’

• दण्डाकारम्: prostration like a staff (full prostration)
• दण्डाकारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — accusative singular; समासः तत्पुरुषः (दण्डस्य आकारः)

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) — ‘having bowed’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक)

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — ‘he said’

• प्राञ्जलिः: with joined palms
• प्राञ्जलिः: Karta (Subject attribute/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — nominative singular; विशेषणम् (स्थितः)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) — ‘having become’

• विनय-अवनतः: bowed down in humility
• विनय-अवनतः: Karta (Subject attribute/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनय (प्रातिपदिक) + अवनत (प्रातिपदिक; √नम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — nominative singular; समासः तत्पुरुषः (विनयेन अवनतः)

• स्थितः: standing
• स्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — ‘standing’

Speaker

Sūta (narration describing Duḥśīla’s actions)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A weary pilgrim approaches a radiant ascetic seated near a sacred spot; the pilgrim performs daṇḍavat (staff-like full prostration), rises, and stands with folded hands, head bowed.

Characters & Entities

• daṇḍavat-praṇāma (full prostration)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

External gestures of reverence can be imitated; Purāṇic dharma emphasizes inner intention alongside outer conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it advances the chapter’s tīrtha-associated moral narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Daṇḍavat-praṇāma (full prostration) is described as a gesture of respect, though here used deceptively.