Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

अविकल्पं ततो रामो मम वाक्येन तां शिलाम् । पस्पर्श पार्थिवश्रेष्ठ कौतू हलसमन्वितः

Transliteration

avikalpaṃ tato rāmo mama vākyena tāṃ śilām | pasparśa pārthivaśreṣṭha kautū halasamanvitaḥ

Translation

তখন রাজশ্রেষ্ঠ রাম আমার বাক্যে বিনা দ্বিধায় সেই শিলাকে স্পর্শ করলেন, এবং তাঁর অন্তরে পবিত্র কৌতূহল জাগ্রত ছিল।

Word by Word

• अविकल्पम्: without hesitation
• अविकल्पम्: Kriya (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अविकल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययभावे द्वितीया-एकवचन (क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण) — ‘without hesitation’

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikaraṇa (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-तसिल्)
• Form: अव्यय, अनुक्रमवाचक

• रामः: Rāma
• रामः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• वाक्येन: by (my) words, at (my) instruction
• वाक्येन: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• ताम्: that (her)
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शिलाम्: stone
• शिलाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• पस्पर्श: touched
• पस्पर्श: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पार्थिवश्रेष्ठ: O best of kings
• पार्थिवश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पार्थिवानां श्रेष्ठः)

• कौतूहलसमन्वितः: endowed with curiosity
• कौतूहलसमन्वितः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कौतूहल + समन्वित (सम्-अन्वित; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-समासभावः (कौतूहलेन समन्वितः = endowed with curiosity)

Speaker

Ṛṣi narrator (first-person)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ahalyā-vimocana-sthāna (implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāma extends his hand and touches the great stone; a subtle radiance begins; the sage watches with approval; Lakṣmaṇa stands alert; the hermitage seems to hold its breath at the miracle’s threshold.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Stone (Ahalyā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Prompt, doubtless action in accordance with righteous counsel enables grace to manifest and suffering to end.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The act occurs at/near Gautama’s āśrama; the verse itself does not specify a named pilgrimage spot.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite; the narrative highlights the sanctifying efficacy of a dharmic touch performed under sage guidance.