Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

ततः कथांतमासाद्य सत्यसंधो महीपतिः । किंचिदासाद्य तं प्राह समीपस्थं बृहद्बलम्

Transliteration

tataḥ kathāṃtamāsādya satyasaṃdho mahīpatiḥ | kiṃcidāsādya taṃ prāha samīpasthaṃ bṛhadbalam

Translation

Darauf, als die Erzählung ihrem Ende zuging, trat der wahrheitsgebundene König näher und sprach, nachdem er noch ein wenig herangekommen war, zu Bṛhadbala, der in der Nähe stand.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kala (Sequence/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तरार्थक (then/thereafter)

• कथान्तम्: the end of the story
• कथान्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kathā-anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः (kathāyāḥ antaḥ = 'end of the story')

• आसाद्य: having reached
• आसाद्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā√sad (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृत्, अव्ययभाव)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): 'having reached/attained'

• सत्यसंधः: true to his vow
• सत्यसंधः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: satya-saṃdha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (one whose resolve is true)

• महीपतिः: the king
• महीपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī-pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (mahīyāḥ patiḥ = 'lord of the earth')

• किंचित्: a little
• किंचित्: Prakara (Degree/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kiṃcit (सर्वनाम/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: अव्ययप्राय; परिमाणवाचक (indeclinable quantifier: 'a little/somewhat')

• आसाद्य: having approached
• आसाद्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā√sad (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृत्, अव्ययभाव)
• Form: ल्यपन्त अव्यय (gerund): 'having approached/reached'

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्राह: said/spoke
• प्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• समीपस्थम्: standing nearby
• समीपस्थम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samīpa-stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; समासः तत्पुरुषः (sāmīpye sthitaḥ = 'standing near')

• बृहद्बलम्: of great strength
• बृहद्बलम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bṛhad-bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; कर्मधारयः (great + strength)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator voice; specific speaker not stated in this snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A truth-bound king steps forward from his seat as the narration ends, moving closer to Bṛhadbala standing nearby; attendants and sages witness a respectful address in a tīrtha-associated court/assembly.

Characters & Entities

• Bṛhadbala
• mahīpati (king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is transmitted through attentive listening and respectful dialogue—truthfulness and humility frame sacred instruction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse is narrative setup within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya; the specific tīrtha is not named in this single line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it introduces a conversation that leads into dhārmic themes.