Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 78

Devanagari script

आगतः श्रीहरेरंशो नारदः प्रत्यदृश्यत । ज्वलिताग्निप्रतीकाशो बालार्कसदृशेक्षणः

Transliteration

āgataḥ śrīhareraṃśo nāradaḥ pratyadṛśyata | jvalitāgnipratīkāśo bālārkasadṛśekṣaṇaḥ

Translation

Dort erschien Nārada—eine Ausstrahlung Śrī Haris—strahlend wie loderndes Feuer, mit Augen gleich der eben aufgehenden Sonne.

Word by Word

• āgataḥ: having come, arrived
• āgataḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√gam (धातु) → āgata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; adjectival participle agreeing with subject

• śrīhareḥ: of Śrī Hari (Viṣṇu)
• śrīhareḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī-hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; genitive—‘of Śrī Hari’

• aṃśaḥ: portion, part (incarnation)
• aṃśaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• nāradaḥ: Nārada
• nāradaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; apposition to aṃśaḥ

• prati: forth, manifestly (as prefix/adverb)
• prati: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prati (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय; used with verb to indicate ‘in front/again/manifestly’

• adṛśyata: was seen, appeared
• adṛśyata: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; passive sense—‘was seen/appeared’

• jvalita-agni-pratīkāśaḥ: shining like blazing fire
• jvalita-agni-pratīkāśaḥ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jvalita (√jval, क्त-कृदन्त) + agni (प्रातिपदिक) + pratīkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष—‘having the appearance like blazing fire’

• bāla-arka-sadṛśa-īkṣaṇaḥ: having eyes like the rising (young) sun
• bāla-arka-sadṛśa-īkṣaṇaḥ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक) + arka (प्रातिपदिक) + sadṛśa (प्रातिपदिक) + īkṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष—‘whose eyes are like the young sun’

Speaker

Sūta (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣi-assembly / human audience by extension

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In a sacred forest clearing, Nārada manifests suddenly—his body blazing like fire, eyes like the newborn sun—drawing the gaze of assembled sages.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Śrī Hari (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine messengers embody the splendor of their source; their presence signals sacred instruction and protection of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse highlights Nārada’s appearance rather than a named tirtha; it supports the sanctity of the unfolding Dharmāraṇya account.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a descriptive (stuti-like) portrayal of the sage.