Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

पृष्टश्च ब्रूहि चेद्भेक त्वया दृष्टो हुताशनः । तदर्थमिह संप्राप्ताः सर्वे देवाः सवासवाः

Transliteration

pṛṣṭaśca brūhi cedbheka tvayā dṛṣṭo hutāśanaḥ | tadarthamiha saṃprāptāḥ sarve devāḥ savāsavāḥ

Translation

তাকে জিজ্ঞাসা করা হল—“বল হে ব্যাঙ! তুমি কি হুতাশন (অগ্নি) কে দেখেছ? সেই কারণেই বাসব (ইন্দ্র) সহ সকল দেব এখানে এসেছেন।”

Word by Word

• पृष्टः: (he) having been asked
• पृष्टः: Karman (Patient of asking)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; कर्मणि भाव (having been asked)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• ब्रूहि: tell/say
• ब्रूहि: Kriyā (Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative); परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष (2nd); एकवचन

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक निपात (conditional particle: if)

• भेक: O frog
• भेक: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative); एकवचन

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karta (Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्री; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); एकवचन

• दृष्टः: seen
• दृष्टः: Karman (Patient of seeing)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; (हुताशनः) इति कर्तरि/कर्मणि सन्दर्भे—अत्र ‘seen’ अर्थे कर्मणि भाव

• हुताशनः: Hutāśana (Fire/Agni)
• हुताशनः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हुत + अशन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (हुतं अश्नाति इति/हुतस्य अशना = fire); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; अर्थम् इति विशेषणम्

• अर्थम्: purpose/matter
• अर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (here)

• संप्राप्ताः: have come/arrived
• संप्राप्ताः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + प्र + आप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे (have arrived)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; देवाः इति विशेषणम्

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन

• स: with
• स: Sambandha (With/along with, in compound)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (with) — समासपूर्वपद

• वासवाः: with Indra / the Vāsavas
• वासवाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; (इन्द्रसहिताः/इन्द्रसम्बद्धाः)

Speaker

Devas (collectively), including Indra (Vāsava)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (jalāśaya vicinity)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of devas led by Indra stands at a distance, addressing the scorched frog: ‘Have you seen Agni?’ The moment is charged—revelation is near, the landscape still bears signs of heat.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Indra (Vāsava)
• Agni (Hutāśana)
• Frog (bheka)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Truth-seeking is communal and dharmic; even gods inquire humbly to restore order and locate disruptive power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The inquiry occurs at the jalāśaya within Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra as described in Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya (Adhyāya 90).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative inquiry focused on locating Agni (Hutāśana).