Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 120

Devanagari script

अब्रवीद्ब्राह्मणान्सर्वांश्चमत्कारपुरोद्भवान् । कृतांजलिपुटो भूत्वा विनयावनतः स्थितः

Transliteration

abravīdbrāhmaṇānsarvāṃścamatkārapurodbhavān | kṛtāṃjalipuṭo bhūtvā vinayāvanataḥ sthitaḥ

Translation

Er wandte sich an alle Brāhmaṇas, die in jener wundersamen Stadt erschienen waren. Mit zum Añjali gefalteten Händen stand er demütig da, in ehrfürchtiger Verneigung.

Word by Word

• अब्रवीत्: said, spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (plural)

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (plural); विशेषण (qualifier)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• चमत्कारपुरोद्भवान्: arisen in front due to a marvel; miraculously appearing before (them)
• चमत्कारपुरोद्भवान्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चमत्कार + पुरः + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (plural); विशेषण; समासः—षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषभावः (from/at the front of the miracle/wonder)

• कृताञ्जलिपुटः: with hands joined (in reverence)
• कृताञ्जलिपुटः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + अञ्जलि + पुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण; समासः—कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (having made the hollow of joined palms)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Kriyā (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal), ‘having become’

• विनयावनतः: humbly bowed
• विनयावनतः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनय + अवनत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण; समासः—तत्पुरुष (bowed down with humility)

• स्थितः: stood, remained
• स्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; not explicitly marked in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gayākūpī

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee/kingly figure stands slightly bowed with folded hands before an assembly of brāhmaṇas in a radiant, auspicious cityscape; the mood is reverent and anticipatory.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Indra (implied from prior verse context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the king of gods models humility before dharma and the brāhmaṇas, establishing proper conduct for sacred works.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya setting, in the narrative leading to the Gayākūpī account.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it depicts the proper ritual posture and etiquette (añjali, vinaya) before making sacred requests.