Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

प्रणम्य चाग्रतस्तस्थौ प्रबद्धकरसंपुटः । संसारचरितैः किंचिद्द्रुःखी गाथां व्यगायत

Transliteration

praṇamya cāgratastasthau prabaddhakarasaṃpuṭaḥ | saṃsāracaritaiḥ kiṃciddruḥkhī gāthāṃ vyagāyata

Translation

Nachdem er sich verneigt hatte, stand er vor (dem Herrn) mit in Ehrfurcht gefalteten Händen. Von den Wegen des Saṃsāra etwas bekümmert, sang er eine flehentliche Hymne.

Word by Word

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) — having bowed

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

• अग्रतः: in front
• अग्रतः: Adhikarana (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place) — in front

• तस्थौ: stood
• तस्थौ: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन — stood

• प्रबद्धकरसंपुटः: with clasped hands
• प्रबद्धकरसंपुटः: Visheshana (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रबद्ध + कर + संपुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — with hands joined/held in a clasp

• संसारचरितैः: by worldly experiences
• संसारचरितैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार + चरित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन — by/with worldly experiences

• किञ्चित्: somewhat
• किञ्चित्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किञ्चित् (अव्यय/सर्वनाम)
• Form: परिमाणवाचक-अव्यय (adverb) — somewhat/a little

• दुःखी: sorrowful
• दुःखी: Visheshana (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःखिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — sorrowful

• गाथाम्: a verse
• गाथाम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — song/verse

• व्यगायत: sang/recited
• व्यगायत: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + गै (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन — sang/recited

Speaker

Nārada (narrating); action by Nandabhadra

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kapileśvara (at Bahūdaka-kuṇḍa)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside a small riverside/pondside shrine, Nandabhadra stands with tightly joined palms, head bowed, eyes moist; the liṅga is adorned with bilva and a thin stream of water. The atmosphere is hushed and intimate.

Characters & Entities

• Nandabhadra
• Saṃsāra
• Kapileśvara (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Approaching Śiva with humility (praṇāma and añjali) transforms worldly sorrow into devotional prayer.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting continues at Bahūdaka-kuṇḍa’s bank before Kapileśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Praṇāma (prostration) and añjali (joined palms) as devotional protocol before worship and stotra.