Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

स ज्ञात्वा बल संहीनमात्मानं धातुसंक्षयात् । सामोपायं ततश्चके स्तुत्वा सार्धं पिनाकिना

Transliteration

sa jñātvā bala saṃhīnamātmānaṃ dhātusaṃkṣayāt | sāmopāyaṃ tataścake stutvā sārdhaṃ pinākinā

Translation

Als er erkannte, dass er durch den Schwund seiner leiblichen Bestandteile kraftlos geworden war, wählte er den Weg der Beschwichtigung und pries Pinākin (Śiva) in dessen Gegenwart.

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; pronoun 'he'

• jñātvā: having realized
• jñātvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jñā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund): 'having known/realized'

• balam: strength
• balam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; (saṃhīnam-विशेष्य)

• saṃhīnam: deprived (of)
• saṃhīnam: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃhīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (balam-विशेषण) 'devoid of'

• ātmānam: himself
• ātmānam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; 'himself'

• dhātu-saṃkṣayāt: from depletion of bodily elements
• dhātu-saṃkṣayāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhātu (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃkṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/हेतु-अपादान), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: 'धातूनां संक्षयः' → 'due to depletion of elements'

• sāma-upāyam: a conciliatory means
• sāma-upāyam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāma (प्रातिपदिक) + upāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः: 'साम्नः उपायः' = 'means of conciliation'

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (Context)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): 'then/thereupon'

• cake: he undertook
• cake: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 'did/made/undertook'

• stutvā: having praised
• stutvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √stu (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund): 'having praised'

• sārdham: together with
• sārdham: Sahakāraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sārdham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/preposition-like): 'together with'

• pinākinā: with Pinākin (Śiva)
• pinākinā: Sahakāraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pinākin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/सह), एकवचन; 'with Pinākin (Śiva, bearer of the bow Pināka)'

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator within Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A weakened Andhaka, body emaciated from dhātu-kṣaya, stands with folded hands before Śiva bearing the pināka bow; attendants and gaṇas witness the shift from hostility to supplication.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Pinākin)
• Andhaka (Daitya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When ego collapses, the dharmic turn is humility—praise, conciliation, and seeking refuge in Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not identified in this verse; the chapter belongs to a tīrtha-mahātmya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Stuti (hymnic praise) is implied as a devotional act, though no formal rite is specified.