Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

कणौं पिधाय मर्त्यस्य नादरूपं विचिन्वतः । तदेव प्रणवस्याग्रं तदेव ब्रह्म शाश्वतम्

Transliteration

kaṇauṃ pidhāya martyasya nādarūpaṃ vicinvataḥ | tadeva praṇavasyāgraṃ tadeva brahma śāśvatam

Translation

Für den Sterblichen, der die Ohren verschließt und die Klanggestalt (nāda) betrachtet, ist eben dieser innere Klang die höchste Essenz des Praṇava (Oṃ); das ist wahrlich der ewige Brahman.

Word by Word

• kaṇau: (both) ears
• kaṇau: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), द्विवचन = Masculine, Accusative dual

• pidhāya: having closed
• pidhāya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhā (धा धारणस्थापनयोः) उपसर्गः पि- (पिधानार्थे)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund) = absolutive ‘having closed/covered’

• martyasya: of the mortal
• martyasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: martya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन = Masculine, Genitive singular

• nāda-rūpam: the form of nāda (inner sound)
• nāda-rūpam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāda + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष = Neuter, Accusative singular; ‘form of sound (inner resonance)’

• vicinvataḥ: of one who is searching for
• vicinvataḥ: Sambandha (Genitive absolute-like relation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + √ci (चि चिन्तायाम्/चयने)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन = Present active participle, Genitive singular; ‘of one who is seeking/investigating’

• tat: that
• tat: Kartā (Subject/predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन = Neuter, Nominative singular

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात) = emphasis ‘indeed’

• praṇavasya: of praṇava (Oṃ)
• praṇavasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: praṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन = Masculine, Genitive singular

• agram: the foremost/essence
• agram: Kartā (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन = Neuter, Nominative singular

• tat: that
• tat: Kartā (Subject/predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन = Neuter, Nominative singular

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात)

• brahma: Brahman/Absolute
• brahma: Kartā (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन = Neuter, Nominative singular

• śāśvatam: eternal
• śāśvatam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of brahma)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śāśvata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन = Neuter, Nominative singular

Speaker

Śiva (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A yogin gently closing ears, eyes half-closed; concentric rings of subtle sound emanate inward (not outward), transforming into the Oṃ glyph, which dissolves into a formless luminous expanse labeled ‘Brahman’.

Characters & Entities

• Praṇava (Oṃ)
• Brahman
• Nāda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Inner sound contemplation (nāda) reveals the essence of Oṃ and leads the practitioner toward realization of eternal Brahman.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse emphasizes an interiorized sacred practice rather than naming a physical tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A meditation method is given: close the ears and contemplate the inner nāda as the essence of praṇava.