Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

तत्र कृत्वा रतं चित्रं परकांतसमं तदा । पश्यति स्म ततो रुद्रं ब्रह्ममस्तकसंस्थितम्

Transliteration

tatra kṛtvā rataṃ citraṃ parakāṃtasamaṃ tadā | paśyati sma tato rudraṃ brahmamastakasaṃsthitam

Translation

„Dort, nachdem sie eine seltsame Tat der Leidenschaft vollzogen hatte, gleich jener mit dem Geliebten eines anderen, erblickte sie darauf Rudra, gegenwärtig auf Brahmās Haupt.“

Word by Word

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

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), ‘having made/done’

• रतम्: a figure/image (as made)
• रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• चित्रम्: wonderful; variegated
• चित्रम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• परकान्तसमम्: equal to another's beloved
• परकान्तसमम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर + कान्त + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (परकान्तस्य समम् = equal to another's beloved)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: then)

• पश्यति: he sees
• पश्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• स्म: (indeed/then; past narrative marker)
• स्म: Sambandha (Narrative particle/स्म)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: भूतार्थ-स्मरणार्थक-अव्यय (particle used with present to indicate past narration)

• ततः: thereupon; from there
• ततः: Apadana/Sequence (Source/sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अपादान/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (from there/thereupon)

• रुद्रम्: Rudra
• रुद्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ब्रह्ममस्तकसंस्थितम्: situated on Brahmā's head
• ब्रह्ममस्तकसंस्थितम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + मस्तक + सं + स्था (धातु) → संस्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘ब्रह्मणः मस्तके संस्थितम्’ (situated on Brahmā's head)

Speaker

Vaiśvānara (Agni), inferred from context

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Rudraśīrṣa precinct (implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija (brāhmaṇa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A woman, having engaged in a transgressive erotic act, suddenly beholds Rudra manifest in association with Brahmā’s head-mark; the moment is charged with shock, remorse, and awe.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra (Śiva)
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Darśana of Rudra is portrayed as a turning point that redirects a fallen episode toward recognition of sacred power and eventual purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Rudraśīrṣa-related āyatana where Rudra is perceived in connection with Brahmā’s head.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse implies darśana (seeing the deity) as spiritually significant; explicit rites follow in subsequent verses.