Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 81

Devanagari script

ततः प्रोवाच हृष्टात्मा विनयावनतः स्थितः । स्वयमेव सहस्राक्षं प्रणिपत्य मुहुर्मुहुः

Transliteration

tataḥ provāca hṛṣṭātmā vinayāvanataḥ sthitaḥ | svayameva sahasrākṣaṃ praṇipatya muhurmuhuḥ

Translation

Dann, von Freude im Herzen erfüllt und in Demut gebeugt stehend, sprach er, indem er sich selbst immer wieder vor Sahasrākṣa (Indra) niederwarf.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = 'thereupon/then'

• प्रोवाच: said, spoke forth
• प्रोवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• हृष्टात्मा: the delighted-souled one
• हृष्टात्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृष्ट-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेष्य-भावः (one whose self is delighted)

• विनयावनतः: bowed in humility
• विनयावनतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनय-अवनत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विनयेन अवनतः = 'bowed with humility'

• स्थितः: standing
• स्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'standing/remaining'

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta (Agent-emphasis/कर्ता)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = 'oneself'

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात) = अवधारणार्थक (emphatic)

• सहस्राक्षम्: Sahasrākṣa (Indra)
• सहस्राक्षम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र-अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः = 'one who has a thousand eyes' (Indra)

• प्रणिपत्य: having prostrated
• प्रणिपत्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र-नि-√पत् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त-अव्यय)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (क्त्वान्त/absolutive) = 'having bowed down'

• मुहुः: repeatedly
• मुहुः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = 'again and again'

• मुहुः: again and again
• मुहुः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (पुनरुक्ति) = 'again and again'

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator within Nāgara Khaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant Indra (Sahasrākṣa) is approached by a humble figure standing with folded hands, repeatedly prostrating; devas observe in a solemn yet hopeful atmosphere.

Characters & Entities

• Sahasrākṣa (Indra)
• Dadhīci (implied sage)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Greatness is marked by humility; even a powerful sage maintains vinaya while engaging in world-affecting deeds.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative remains situated at Puṣkara (Prācī Sarasvatī-tīra) from the immediately preceding context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal ritual is prescribed; it highlights repeated praṇāma (prostration) as devotional etiquette.