Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

तथैकस्मिन्सुरे दृष्टे सर्वदेवसमुद्भवम् । फलं दर्शनजं भावि नराणां द्विजसत्तम

Transliteration

tathaikasminsure dṛṣṭe sarvadevasamudbhavam | phalaṃ darśanajaṃ bhāvi narāṇāṃ dvijasattama

Translation

Likewise, O best of the twice-born, by beholding here even a single deity—the very source from which all the gods arise—the fruit of darśana, as though one had seen them all, accrues to people.

Word by Word

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Nipata/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारार्थक-अव्यय (thus/likewise)

• एकस्मिन्: in one
• एकस्मिन्: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; विशेषण (सुरे)

• सुरे: in a deity
• सुरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• दृष्टे: when (he is) seen
• दृष्टे: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Circumstantial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• सर्वदेवसमुद्भवम्: arising from all the gods
• सर्वदेवसमुद्भवम्: Visheshana (Qualifier of फलम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + देव + समुद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (सर्वदेवेभ्यः समुद्भवम्/समुद्भूतम्)

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दर्शनजम्: born of seeing
• दर्शनजम्: Visheshana (Qualifier of फलम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दर्शन + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (दर्शनात् जातम्)

• भावि: will be/shall occur
• भावि: Kriya (Predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: शतृ/णिनि-प्राय विशेषण (भविष्यत्-अर्थे), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate)

• नराणाम्: of men/people
• नराणाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• द्विजसत्तम: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय (द्विजेषु सत्तमः)

Speaker

Viśvāmitra (deduced from surrounding dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Principal ‘sarva-deva-samudbhava’ deity of the kṣetra (name not specified in verse)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A brāhmaṇa addressed as dvija-sattama (and/or the king in the continuing discourse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A single central shrine radiates as the source of all gods; from it emanate subtle forms/symbols of other deities; a devotee receives the ‘all-darśana’ fruit through one focused gaze.

Characters & Entities

• Deva
• Darśana
• Dvija
• Sarvadeva-samudbhava

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇic idea of ‘concentrated sacredness’: one supreme focus of worship can confer the merit of many.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha-area where a deity described as the ‘source of all gods’ is worshipped/seen.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśana of the deity (even a single, supremely significant form) as a meritorious act.