Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 157

Devanagari script

अथासौ वेपमानस्तु प्रस्विन्नवदनस्तथा । अधोदृष्टिरुवाचेदं गद्गदं विहिताञ्जलिः

Transliteration

athāsau vepamānastu prasvinnavadanastathā | adhodṛṣṭiruvācedaṃ gadgadaṃ vihitāñjaliḥ

Translation

তেতিয়া সি কঁপিবলৈ ধৰিলে, মুখ ঘামে ভিজি উঠিল; দৃষ্টি তললৈ নামাই, অঞ্জলি বেঁধি, গদ্গদ কণ্ঠে এই বাক্য ক’লে।

Word by Word

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

• असौ: that man/he
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (कर्ता); एकवचन

• वेपमानः: trembling
• वेपमानः: Karta (Agent as participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वेप् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात

• प्रस्विन्नवदनः: with a sweating face
• प्रस्विन्नवदनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रस्विन्न + वदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (प्रस्विन्नं वदनं यस्य)

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (thus/so)

• अधोदृष्टिः: one with downcast gaze
• अधोदृष्टिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधः + दृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (कर्ता); एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अधो दृष्टिः)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (कर्म); एकवचन

• गद्गदम्: stammeringly
• गद्गदम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गद्गद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभूत-विशेषणवत्; क्रियाविशेषण (stammeringly/with faltering voice)

• विहिताञ्जलिः: with hands joined in reverence
• विहिताञ्जलिः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विहित + अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (विहितः अञ्जलिः यस्य)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration) describing the pilgrim

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Brahmasthāna

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A man stands with añjali, trembling, sweat on his brow, eyes lowered; his voice falters as he begins to speak before a ring of brāhmaṇa elders in the sacred precinct.

Characters & Entities

• añjali
• śuddhi (context)
• Brāhmaṇas (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Approaching sacred authority with humility and sincerity is presented as the proper doorway to purification and dharmic restoration.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader passage is within Tīrthamāhātmya, emphasizing the sanctifying power of tīrtha-context; this verse itself is a narrative moment without a named site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse depicts the posture of reverence—añjali and lowered gaze—appropriate when seeking guidance or purification.