Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

ततः प्रोवाच तौ ब्रह्मा साम्ना परमवल्गुना । निवर्त्यतामिदं युद्धमेतद्दिव्यास्त्रसंभवम् । यावन्न प्रलयो भावि समस्ते धरणीतले

Transliteration

tataḥ provāca tau brahmā sāmnā paramavalgunā | nivartyatāmidaṃ yuddhametaddivyāstrasaṃbhavam | yāvanna pralayo bhāvi samaste dharaṇītale

Translation

Da sprach Brahmā die beiden mit überaus sanften Worten an: „Lasst diesen Krieg, der aus göttlichen Waffen hervorgegangen ist, enden, bevor über die ganze Erde eine Auflösung (Pralaya) hereinbricht.“

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (indeclinable: 'then')

• प्रोवाच: said, spoke
• प्रोवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (perfect, 3rd person singular, active)

• तौ: to those two
• तौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम (masculine, accusative dual; pronoun)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन (masculine, nominative singular)

• साम्ना: with a sāman (chant) / with conciliation
• साम्ना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन (neuter, instrumental singular)

• परमवल्गुना: with a very sweet/most charming (chant)
• परमवल्गुना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + वल्गु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय; विशेषणम् (neuter, instrumental singular; adjective qualifying 'साम्ना')

• निवर्त्यताम्: both of you desist/stop
• निवर्त्यताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन; आत्मनेपद (imperative, 2nd person dual, middle)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (neuter, nom./acc. singular; pronoun)

• युद्धम्: battle
• युद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन (neuter, nom./acc. singular)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (neuter, nom./acc. singular; pronoun)

• दिव्यास्त्रसंभवम्: arisen from divine weapons
• दिव्यास्त्रसंभवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (neuter, nom./acc. singular; adjective qualifying 'युद्धम्')

• यावत्: until
• यावत्: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; यावत्-पर्यन्तार्थक (indeclinable: 'until')

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negative particle)

• प्रलयः: dissolution, destruction
• प्रलयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन (masculine, nominative singular)

• भावि: will occur / is impending
• भावि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: भविष्यत्कालिक-कृदन्त (future participle/gerundive-like adjective); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विधेयविशेषणम् (predicate: 'is going to be')

• समस्ते: in the entire
• समस्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (neuter, locative singular; adjective qualifying 'धरणीतले')

• धरणीतले: on the surface of the earth
• धरणीतले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरणी (प्रातिपदिक) + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (neuter, locative singular)

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā appears between the two sages, palm raised in a calming gesture; his face serene, words flowing like a soothing hymn while astric flames subside.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True authority works through calm counsel; restraint preserves the world and upholds cosmic order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this line; the focus is on preventing devastation within the broader tīrtha chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an ethical injunction to cease destructive action.