Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

उरो बाहुकृतिं कुर्वन्सान्निध्यं समुपागतः । महामत्स्योऽज्ञातपूर्वः सन्निधानेऽनहंकृतिः

Transliteration

uro bāhukṛtiṃ kurvansānnidhyaṃ samupāgataḥ | mahāmatsyo'jñātapūrvaḥ sannidhāne'nahaṃkṛtiḥ

Translation

Making a gesture with his chest and arms, he drew near into close presence. There appeared a gigantic fish, never seen before—standing nearby, without pride or ego.

Word by Word

• उरः: chest
• उरः: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• बाहुकृतिम्: the form/shape of arms
• बाहुकृतिम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु + कृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)

• कुर्वन्: doing; making
• कुर्वन्: Karta (Agent; participial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कुर्वत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्तः (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘कुर्वन्’ = doing (Present active participle, Masc, Nom, Sg)

• सान्निध्यम्: presence; proximity
• सान्निध्यम्: Karma (Object/Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सान्निध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• समुपागतः: having come near; approached
• समुपागतः: Kriyā (Action/state of subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उप + गम् (धातु) → उपागत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘समुपागतः’ = having approached/arrived (Past participle, Masc, Nom, Sg)

• महामत्स्यः: the great fish
• महामत्स्यः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + मत्स्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन (Masculine, Nom, Singular)

• अज्ञातपूर्वः: never known before
• अज्ञातपूर्वः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + ज्ञात + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Masculine, Nom, Singular; adjective)

• सन्निधाने: in the presence; nearby
• सन्निधाने: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्निधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन (Neuter, Locative, Singular)

• अनहंकृतिः: free from egoism
• अनहंकृतिः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन् + अहं + कृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘यस्य अहंकृतिः न अस्ति’ (Masculine, Nom, Singular; possessive adjective)

Speaker

Brahmā (continuing narration from v.43)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A majestic, enormous fish appears near the divine presence; despite its size it is serene, head slightly bowed, conveying egolessness. A figure gestures with chest and arms as if invoking or acknowledging the manifestation.

Characters & Entities

• Mahāmatsya (great fish)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In sacred proximity, extraordinary manifestations appear, and true greatness is marked by absence of ego.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The episode continues the city-and-Kṣīrasāgara context; the explicit tīrtha name is not present in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is descriptive narration within the māhātmya.