Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा देवानां चतुराननः । उवाच सुचिरं ध्यात्वा ज्ञात्वा दिव्येन चक्षुषा

Transliteration

teṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā devānāṃ caturānanaḥ | uvāca suciraṃ dhyātvā jñātvā divyena cakṣuṣā

Translation

Nachdem der Viergesichtige (Brahmā) die Worte der Götter vernommen hatte, sprach er—nach langem Versenken und nachdem er die Sache mit göttlichem Blick erkannt hatte.

Word by Word

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• tad: that
• tad: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (demonstrative)

• vacanam: speech, statement
• vacanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• devānām: of the gods
• devānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• catur-ānanaḥ: the four-faced one (Brahmā)
• catur-ānanaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + ānana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); बहुव्रीहिः: ‘चत्वारि आननानि यस्य सः’

• uvāca: said, spoke
• uvāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्

• suciram: for a long time
• suciram: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sucira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverbial accusative used as adverb)

• dhyātvā: having meditated
• dhyātvā: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √dhyai (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• jñātvā: having known, having ascertained
• jñātvā: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √jñā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• divyena: divine
• divyena: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter) / पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• cakṣuṣā: with (his) eye/vision
• cakṣuṣā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakṣus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Narrator (introducing Brahmā’s reply)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā closes his eyes in deep meditation; a subtle aura of ‘divine sight’ opens as light radiates from his brow/eyes, while devas wait in respectful silence.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Caturānana)
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right guidance arises from contemplation and higher discernment, not haste—an ethical model for dharmic decision-making.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not yet specified; this is the transition into Brahmā’s explanation that leads to Mahādeva’s location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; ‘dhyāna’ is depicted as a method of discernment rather than a formal rite.