Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

लुंठनैः सर्पणैश्चैव चारुरूपोऽद्भुतां गतिम् । तं दृष्ट्वा भगवांस्तत्र कारणं समबुद्ध्यत

Transliteration

luṃṭhanaiḥ sarpaṇaiścaiva cārurūpo'dbhutāṃ gatim | taṃ dṛṣṭvā bhagavāṃstatra kāraṇaṃ samabuddhyata

Translation

Mit Rollen und Kriechen zeigte der Anmutige einen wunderbaren Gang. Als der Herr ihn dort erblickte, erkannte er den zugrunde liegenden Grund.

Word by Word

• लुंठनैः: by rollings/tumblings
• लुंठनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लुंठन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (means)

• सर्पणैः: by crawlings/creepings
• सर्पणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्पण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• चारुरूपः: of beautiful form
• चारुरूपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चारु + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular masculine; विशेषण

• अद्भुताम्: wonderful
• अद्भुताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular feminine; विशेषण

• गतिम्: movement/way
• गतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• तम्: him/that (one)
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular pronoun

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + क्त्वा (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• भगवान्: the Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

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

• कारणम्: the cause/reason
• कारणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• समबुद्ध्यत: understood/realized
• समबुद्ध्यत: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + बुध् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Imperfect, 3rd person singular; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dove performs rolling and creeping motions—odd, mesmerizing—before the calm Maheśvara; the Lord’s gaze sharpens with understanding, revealing he has grasped the true reason for the bird’s behavior.

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavān (Śiva)
• Agni (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord’s knowledge is immediate and complete; outer appearances cannot obscure inner purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not indicated in this verse; it remains within the broader tīrtha-mahātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this is a narrative moment emphasizing Śiva’s discernment.