Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 112

Devanagari script

ततः प्रोवाच लोकेशं दीनः प्रणतकन्धरः । तवाहं किंकरो देव त्वयेंद्रत्वे नियोजितः

Transliteration

tataḥ provāca lokeśaṃ dīnaḥ praṇatakandharaḥ | tavāhaṃ kiṃkaro deva tvayeṃdratve niyojitaḥ

Translation

Da sprach er, elend und mit geneigtem Haupt, zum Herrn der Welten: „O Deva, ich bin dein Diener, von dir in das Amt Indras eingesetzt.“

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थ/तदनन्तरम् (then/thereupon)

• प्रोवाच: said/spoke
• प्रोवाच: Kriya (Speech/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• लोकेशम्: the Lord of the worlds
• लोकेशम्: Karma (Addressee/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (लोकानाम् ईशः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे कर्मरूप (addressed as object)

• दीनः: wretched/distressed
• दीनः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्तृ-विशेषण

• प्रणतकन्धरः: one whose neck is bowed (submissive)
• प्रणतकन्धरः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रणत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + कन्धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (प्रणतः कन्धरः यस्य सः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्तृ-विशेषण

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• किंकरः: servant
• किंकरः: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विधेय-नाम (predicate noun)

• देव: O god
• देव: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3), एकवचन; करण/कर्तृ (by you)

• इन्द्रत्वे: in Indra-hood / as Indra
• इन्द्रत्वे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अधिकरण (in the state/office)

• नियोजितः: appointed/assigned
• नियोजितः: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + युज् (धातु) + क्त
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘अहम्’ इत्यस्य विधेय-विशेषण

Speaker

Indra (Śakra)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra, head bowed and shoulders lowered, addresses the Lokēśa; hands in añjali; the contrast between his diminished aura and the Lord’s steady radiance underscores surrender.

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Śakra)
• Lokeśa (contextually Brahmā, as the addressed authority here)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Authority and power are duties granted by the divine order; when misused, humility and surrender are the first steps toward restoration.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified; this is Indra’s supplication that precedes the tīrtha-based remedy.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a confession of dependence and divine appointment.