Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

हनुमानुवाच । नन्दिनाथ हरं पृच्छ पातकस्योपशान्तिदम् । पापोऽहं प्लवगो यस्मात्संजातः कारणान्तरात्

Transliteration

hanumānuvāca | nandinātha haraṃ pṛccha pātakasyopaśāntidam | pāpo'haṃ plavago yasmātsaṃjātaḥ kāraṇāntarāt

Translation

Hanumān sprach: „O Herr Nandin, frage Hara (Śiva) nach dem, was die Sünde besänftigt. Denn ich, obgleich ein plavaga, bin durch einen anderen Umstand sündig geworden.“

Word by Word

• हनुमान्: Hanumān
• हनुमान्: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हनुमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वक्ता (speaker)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नन्दिनाथ: O lord of Nandin
• नन्दिनाथ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नन्दिनः नाथः)

• हरम्: Hara (Śiva)
• हरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म

• पृच्छ: ask
• पृच्छ: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √प्रच्छ्/√पृच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पातकस्य: of the sin
• पातकस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पातक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• उपशान्तिदम्: that which gives pacification/removal
• उपशान्तिदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपशान्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + द (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √दा (धातु) + क)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (उपशान्तिं ददाति इति)

• पापः: sinful
• पापः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (predicate)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्लवगः: a monkey
• प्लवगः: Karta (Appositive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्लवग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समानाधिकरण (apposition to अहम्)

• यस्मात्: because (from which reason)
• यस्मात्: Apadana (Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेतु/कारण (ablative of cause)

• संजातः: was born/arose
• संजातः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: संजात (कृदन्त; सम्+√जन् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘has arisen/was born’

• कारणान्तरात्: from another cause
• कारणान्तरात्: Apadana (Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (कारणस्य अन्तरम् = ‘another cause’)

Speaker

Hanumān

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kailāsa (approach to Hara)

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Hanumān speaks with folded hands to Nandin, eyes lowered in humility; Nandin stands as mediator. The doorway to the inner Śaiva realm glows faintly, suggesting Śiva’s presence beyond, awaiting proper purification.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Nandin
• Hara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When burdened by fault, one should seek guidance and turn to Śiva for purification rather than concealment or pride.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The dialogue is situated in the Revā Khaṇḍa, leading toward the purifying tīrthas of the Revā/Narmadā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A request is made for a means of expiation (prāyaścitta); the specific practice is given in subsequent verses.