Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

भ्रांतो हि नारदस्तेन कृत्रिमेण महायशाः । अवलोकपरस्तत्र चरितं विश्वकर्मणः

Transliteration

bhrāṃto hi nāradastena kṛtrimeṇa mahāyaśāḥ | avalokaparastatra caritaṃ viśvakarmaṇaḥ

Translation

Le glorieux Nārada, troublé par cette merveilleuse création artificielle, demeura là, tout entier à regarder alentour, contemplant l’ouvrage prodigieux de Viśvakarmā.

Word by Word

• भ्रान्तः: bewildered; deluded
• भ्रान्तः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु) → भ्रान्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (नारदस्य)

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (indeclinable particle, emphasis/causal)

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तेन: by that; by him/it
• तेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कृत्रिमेण: by the artificial (thing); by the contrivance
• कृत्रिमेण: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत्रिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; विशेषण (तेन इत्यस्य)

• महायशाः: the greatly renowned one
• महायशाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महायशस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—महच्च तत् यशः यस्य (बहुव्रीहिवत् प्रयोगः, परन्तु रूपतः विशेषण-नाम)

• अवलोकपरः: intent on observing
• अवलोकपरः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवलोक-पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—अवलोके परः (devoted to looking)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• चरितम्: deed; work; exploit
• चरितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from चर्)
• Form: कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• विश्वकर्मणः: of Viśvakarman
• विश्वकर्मणः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वकर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa (deduced, Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narrative frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nārada stands still, eyes wide yet composed, slowly turning his gaze across the artificial marvel; the pavilion’s crafted illusions and details invite prolonged viewing.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Viśvakarmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even a sage like Nārada is humbled by divine craftsmanship, reminding devotees that sacred places reveal God’s glory beyond ordinary perception.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Himalayan Kedāra region (Kedāra Khaṇḍa setting), presented as a divine landscape adorned with celestial wonders.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse focuses on darśana (reverent beholding) of the sacred, which itself is a purifying act in Purāṇic devotion.