Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

अथ दृष्ट्वा महत्तेजो वैष्णवं दूरतोऽपि तम् । ब्राह्मणं गरुडः प्राह नारदश्च मुनीश्वरः

Transliteration

atha dṛṣṭvā mahattejo vaiṣṇavaṃ dūrato'pi tam | brāhmaṇaṃ garuḍaḥ prāha nāradaśca munīśvaraḥ

Translation

ثمّ لمّا رأى من بعيد ذلك النور العظيم الفَيْشْنَفيّ، تكلّم غارودا إلى البراهمن، وتكلّم نارادا أيضًا، سيّد الحكماء من المونِيّين.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमसूचक

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): 'having seen'

• महत्-तेजः: great radiance/splendor
• महत्-तेजः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महत् तेजः)

• वैष्णवम्: Vishnu-related/divine (of Vishnu)
• वैष्णवम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (belonging to Vishnu)

• दूरतः: from a distance
• दूरतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दूरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (from afar)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (even)

• तम्: that/him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ब्राह्मणम्: the brahmin
• ब्राह्मणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गरुडः: Garuḍa
• गरुडः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्राह: said/spoke
• प्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आह्/अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नारदः: Narada
• नारदः: Karta (Co-subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• मुनि-ईश्वरः: lord of sages
• मुनि-ईश्वरः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (मुनीनां ईश्वरः)

Speaker

Narrator (introducing Garuḍa and Nārada addressing a brāhmaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (Jalaśāyī/Janārdana radiance)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Implied audience within the Purāṇic dialogue frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: From a distance, a vast Vaiṣṇava radiance shines; Garuḍa and Nārada react and begin to speak, poised at the threshold of revelation.

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa
• Nārada
• Vaiṣṇava tejas (radiance of Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divinity is recognized by its tejas (spiritual radiance); reverence includes knowing one’s limits before overwhelming holiness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The scene is at the water-tīrtha of Janārdana; the exact site-name is contextual within Adhyāya 80.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No; it prepares for guidance on proper approach to the radiant presence.