Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । एतच्छ्रुत्वा सहस्राक्षो देवदेवस्य शूलिनः । गत्वा तत्र ततश्चक्रे यद्देवेनेरितं वचः

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | etacchrutvā sahasrākṣo devadevasya śūlinaḥ | gatvā tatra tataścakre yaddeveneritaṃ vacaḥ

Translation

Sūta sprach: „Als Sahasrākṣa dies vernahm, ging er dorthin und tat genau, was Śūlin, der Gott der Götter, geboten hatte.“

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एतत्: this (matter)
• एतत्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• सहस्राक्षः: the Thousand-eyed one (Indra)
• सहस्राक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्राक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: सहस्रम् अक्षाणि यस्य

• देवदेवस्य: of the God of gods
• देवदेवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः: देवानां देवः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• शूलिनः: of the trident-bearer (Śiva)
• शूलिनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (then)

• चक्रे: did; performed
• चक्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• यत्: which (that)
• यत्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative)

• देवेन: by the god
• देवेन: Kartr-karana/Agent-instrument (Agent/Instrument/कर्ता-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• ईरितम्: uttered; enjoined
• ईरितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर्/ईरय् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘spoken/commanded’

• वचः: word; instruction
• वचः: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (वचः = acc.sg. of वचस्)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sūta narrates Indra’s immediate departure and faithful execution of Śūlin’s command—journey to the kṣetra, temple work, installation, and worship beginning.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Sahasrākṣa (Indra)
• Śūlin (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When divine instruction aligns with dharma, prompt action and faithful execution lead to the establishment of lasting sacred benefit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra, where Indra goes to carry out Śiva’s directions.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly: follow Śiva’s injunction—go to the kṣetra and arrange temple, installation, and worship.