Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

अथ लिंगस्य पातेन त्रैलोक्यभयशंसिनः । उत्पाता दारुणास्तस्थुः सर्वत्र द्विजसत्तमाः

Transliteration

atha liṃgasya pātena trailokyabhayaśaṃsinaḥ | utpātā dāruṇāstasthuḥ sarvatra dvijasattamāḥ

Translation

Alors, à cause de la chute du liṅga, d’effroyables présages se manifestèrent partout, annonçant la crainte pour les trois mondes, ô meilleur des deux-fois-nés.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connective)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अनुक्रमसूचक (then)

• लिङ्गस्य: of the liṅga
• लिङ्गस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive/6th), एकवचनम्

• पातेन: by the fall
• पातेन: Karana (Instrument/Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम्

• त्रैलोक्यभयशंसिनः: foreboding fear for the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्यभयशंसिनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रैलोक्य (प्रातिपदिक) + भय (प्रातिपदिक) + शंसिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), बहुवचनम्; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (त्रैलोक्यस्य भयम् शंसन्ति इति) ‘foretelling fear for the three worlds’

• उत्पाताः: portents
• उत्पाताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्पात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• दारुणाः: terrible
• दारुणाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; ‘उत्पाताः’ इति विशेषणम्

• तस्थुः: stood/appeared
• तस्थुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• सर्वत्र: everywhere
• सर्वत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; देशवाचक-अव्ययम् (everywhere)

• द्विजसत्तमाः: O best of the twice-born (brāhmaṇas)
• द्विजसत्तमाः: Sambodhana (Vocative address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (द्विजानां सत्तमाः) संबोधनार्थेऽपि प्रयोगः (O best of twice-born)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating (addressing sages as dvijasattama)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija-sattama

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Across the three worlds, skies darken, animals panic, lamps flicker; sages and brāhmaṇas look upward as unnatural signs ripple outward from the sacred epicenter.

Characters & Entities

• Trailokya (three worlds)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When divine order is disrupted, the cosmos reflects it through omens; dharma requires restoration through right understanding and propitiation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not named in this verse; it functions as a prelude to a site’s sanctification through crisis and resolution.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None here; the verse describes omens, often followed by prayers and remedial rites in later passages.