Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 96

Devanagari script

नदन्भैरवनादं च वाक्यमुच्चैरभाषत । भोभोस्तपोधनाः सर्वे शृणुध्वं मामकं वचः

Transliteration

nadanbhairavanādaṃ ca vākyamuccairabhāṣata | bhobhostapodhanāḥ sarve śṛṇudhvaṃ māmakaṃ vacaḥ

Translation

Mit einem schaurigen, furchterregenden Ruf erhob er die Stimme: „Ho! Ho! Ihr alle, reich an Tapas, hört meine Worte!“

Word by Word

• नदन्: roaring, shouting
• नदन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नद् (धातु) → नदत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ-प्रत्यय, present active participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तरि ‘roaring/crying’

• भैरवनादम्: a terrifying roar
• भैरवनादम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भैरव (प्रातिपदिक) + नाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (‘भैरवस्य नादः’); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• वाक्यम्: speech, words
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• उच्चैः: aloud
• उच्चैः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उच्चैः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: ‘aloud’)

• अभाषत: spoke
• अभाषत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भाष् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (imperfect/past), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• भोः: O!
• भोः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भोः (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधनार्थक अव्यय (interjection/vocative particle)

• भोः: O! (again)
• भोः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भोः (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधनार्थक अव्यय (पुनरुक्ति)

• तपोधनाः: you whose wealth is austerity (ascetics)
• तपोधनाः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समासः (‘तपः धनं येषां ते’); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे प्रथमा-प्रयोगः

• सर्वे: all (of you)
• सर्वे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनामवत्

• शृणुध्वम्: listen (you all)
• शृणुध्वम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), आत्मनेपद; मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• मामकम्: my
• मामकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मामक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (वचः)

• वचः: word(s), statement
• वचः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (वचस्-शब्दः)

Speaker

Duṣpaṇya as Piśāca (addressing ascetics near Agastya’s āśrama)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Agastya-āśrama vicinity (as puṇya-sthāna within Setukhaṇḍa narrative)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the edge of a tranquil hermitage, the wild piśāca stands with raised arms, mouth open in a terrifying cry; sages turn their calm gaze toward him, unshaken, seated near a sacred fire.

Characters & Entities

• Tapodhana (ascetics/sages)
• Agastya (contextual, from prior verse)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Turning toward the tapodhanas indicates the first movement from terror to transformation—suffering becomes the doorway to seeking guidance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The sanctified sphere around Agastya’s āśrama is implied as the setting where even a piśāca seeks an audience of sages.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it initiates speech to ascetics, likely preceding counsel or expiation in subsequent verses.