Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

ततः कस्मिन्कथांते स पृष्टस्तैर्द्विजसत्तमैः । कौतूहलसमोपेतैर्विनयावनतः स्थितः

Transliteration

tataḥ kasminkathāṃte sa pṛṣṭastairdvijasattamaiḥ | kautūhalasamopetairvinayāvanataḥ sthitaḥ

Translation

Darauf, am Ende eines Gesprächs, wurde er von jenen vortrefflichen Brāhmaṇas, voll Neugier und Eifer, befragt, während er in demütiger Ehrfurcht geneigt dastand.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Discourse adverb (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रमवाचक (then)

• कस्मिन्: in which
• कस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• कथान्ते: at the end of the story
• कथान्ते: Adhikarana (Occasion/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा + अन्त (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कथायाः अन्तः = कथान्तः); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• पृष्टः: was asked
• पृष्टः: Kriya (Passive predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + छ् (धातु) → पृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकालिक-कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि ‘was asked’

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Kartr (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• द्विजसत्तमैः: by the best of the Brahmins
• द्विजसत्तमैः: Kartr (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (द्विजेषु सत्तमाः = best among द्विजs); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• कौतूहलसमोपेतैः: endowed with curiosity
• कौतूहलसमोपेतैः: Kartr (Agent qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कौतूहल + सम् + उप + इ (धातु) → समोपेत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कौतूहलेन समोपेताः = endowed with curiosity); भूतकालिक-कृदन्त ‘समोपेत’; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• विनयावनतः: bowed in humility
• विनयावनतः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनय + अवनत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (विनयेन अवनतः = bowed with humility); भूतकालिक-कृदन्त ‘अवनत’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्थितः: stood/remained
• स्थितः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकालिक-कृदन्त (past active/passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘stood/remained’

Speaker

Deductive (Nāgara Khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in Purāṇic framing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the close of storytelling, brāhmaṇas lean forward with attentive curiosity; the king stands slightly bowed, hands joined, ready to respond.

Characters & Entities

• Dvija-sattamas (excellent brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is clarified through respectful questioning; humility keeps knowledge aligned with spiritual purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Devī’s sacred space where learned brāhmaṇas inquire into a devotee’s practice, underscoring the tīrtha’s authority.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it introduces a didactic exchange about the king’s observance.