Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

मनसा चिंतयामास विघ्नं मे समुपस्थितम् । अवाप महतीं चितां तदा देवः शचीपतिः

Transliteration

manasā ciṃtayāmāsa vighnaṃ me samupasthitam | avāpa mahatīṃ citāṃ tadā devaḥ śacīpatiḥ

Translation

Then Śacī’s lord, Indra, pondered in his mind: “An obstacle has arisen before me.” At that moment the god was seized by great anxiety and concern.

Word by Word

• मनसा: by (his) mind
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; साधन/करणार्थे (instrumental)

• चिन्तयामास: he pondered/considered
• चिन्तयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विघ्नम्: obstacle
• विघ्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; एन्क्लिटिक रूप

• समुपस्थितम्: having arisen/present
• समुपस्थितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+उप+स्था (धातु) → उपस्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘विघ्नम्’ इति विशेषण

• अवाप: he obtained/reached
• अवाप: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव्+आप् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महतीम्: great
• महतीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘चिताम्’ इति विशेषण

• चिताम्: pyre/funeral pile
• चिताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• शचीपतिः: lord of Śacī (Indra)
• शचीपतिः: Apposition (Samānādhikaraṇa/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शची + पति (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शच्याः पतिः)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra, crowned and holding vajra, sits in a jeweled hall yet appears troubled; a shadow of ‘vighna’ looms as he inwardly broods, attendants watching in silence.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Śacī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even mighty gods become anxious when dharma and tapas produce results that threaten their power—inner steadiness is praised over fear-driven reaction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya, the sacred ‘Forest of Dharma,’ where severe austerities are undertaken and tested.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed here; the verse sets the narrative context of obstacles arising against tapas.