Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

ईशः प्रसन्नवदनामुपचारैरथाकरोत् । शनैर्नीतिमयैर्वाक्यैर्हेतुमद्भिर्महेश्वरः

Transliteration

īśaḥ prasannavadanāmupacārairathākarot | śanairnītimayairvākyairhetumadbhirmaheśvaraḥ

Translation

Da bemühte sich der Herr Maheśvara, ihr Antlitz durch sanfte Zuwendung zu besänftigen, und langsam sprach er zu ihr mit begründeten, von Dharma erfüllten Worten.

Word by Word

• īśaḥ: the Lord
• īśaḥ: Kartṛ (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• prasannavadanām: her with a serene face
• prasannavadanām: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prasanna (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + vadana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः (कर्मधारयः)

• upacāraiḥ: with attentions/services
• upacāraiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upacāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), बहुवचन

• atha: then
• atha: Nipāta (Discourse connector/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/अनन्तरता; discourse particle)

• akarot: did/made
• akarot: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• śanaiḥ: gently/gradually
• śanaiḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śanaiḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb; manner)

• nītimayaiḥ: full of good policy/prudence
• nītimayaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of vākyaiḥ/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nīti (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुषः: नीत्या मय)

• vākyaiḥ: with words/speeches
• vākyaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• hetumadbhiḥ: reasoned/with arguments
• hetumadbhiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of vākyaiḥ/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hetumat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त; विशेषण

• maheśvaraḥ: Maheśvara (Great Lord)
• maheśvaraḥ: Kartṛ (Apposition to īśaḥ/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुषः: महान् ईश्वरः)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Maheśvara approaches the Goddess with gentle attentions—offerings, soothing gestures—then speaks slowly with composed, reasoned words.

Characters & Entities

• Īśa (Śiva)
• Maheśvara
• Devī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld through gentle conduct and rational, ethical counsel—anger is best met with nīti and compassion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified in this verse; it provides narrative continuity within the chapter’s tīrtha-mahātmya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse highlights upacāra (respectful attentions) and nīti (ethical reasoning) as modes of conduct.