Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

अशनादिष्वलिप्तं च पंडितं नालसं द्विजम् । बहुश्रुतं चित्रकथं नारदं प्रणमाम्यहम्

Transliteration

aśanādiṣvaliptaṃ ca paṃḍitaṃ nālasaṃ dvijam | bahuśrutaṃ citrakathaṃ nāradaṃ praṇamāmyaham

Translation

Ich verneige mich vor Nārada — dem gelehrten Zweimalgeborenen, unbefleckt von Dingen wie Speise und dergleichen; niemals träge; weit im Wissen; und ein wunderbarer Erzähler vieler Geschichten.

Word by Word

• अशनादिषु: in eating and the like
• अशनादिषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशन + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Locative plural ‘in eating etc.’

• अलिप्तम्: unattached, untainted
• अलिप्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + लिप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘unattached/unsmeared’; विशेषण (नारदम्)

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

• पण्डितम्: learned, wise
• पण्डितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पण्डित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular; विशेषण (नारदम्)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय; negation (in compound-like usage with alasa)

• आलसम्: lazy
• आलसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आलस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular; विशेषण (नारदम्)

• द्विजम्: twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• बहुश्रुतम्: well-versed, much-heard
• बहुश्रुतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु + श्रुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular; ‘one who has heard much’; विशेषण (नारदम्)

• चित्रकथम्: of wondrous discourse
• चित्रकथम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्र + कथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular; ‘of wonderful stories/speech’; विशेषण (नारदम्)

• नारदम्: Narada
• नारदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• प्रणमामि: I bow down to
• प्रणमामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; Present indicative, 1st sg

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

Speaker

Unspecified (Kaumārikākhaṇḍa context: Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa addressing sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nārada as dynamic storyteller: vīṇā nearby, expressive hand gestures, listeners gathered—pilgrims, devas, sages—rapt attention; symbols of detachment (simple bowl, minimal possessions).

Characters & Entities

• Nārada

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A saintly life combines learning, disciplined effort, and detachment from bodily preoccupations.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is mentioned; the verse praises Nārada’s qualities as a spiritual exemplar.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it is a hymn of salutation highlighting virtues (guṇas) worthy of emulation.