Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

अथ श्रुत्वा विरूपाक्षस्तेषां तद्वचनं द्विजाः । पार्वत्याः पार्श्वसंस्थाया मुखचन्द्रं समैक्षयत्

Transliteration

atha śrutvā virūpākṣasteṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ dvijāḥ | pārvatyāḥ pārśvasaṃsthāyā mukhacandraṃ samaikṣayat

Translation

Ayant entendu leurs paroles, ô brāhmanes, Virūpākṣa (Śiva) posa longuement son regard sur le visage lunaire de Pārvatī, assise à ses côtés.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिकक्रिया

• विरूपाक्षः: Virūpākṣa (Śiva)
• विरूपाक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरूप + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—विरूपे अक्षिणी यस्य (the odd/terrible-eyed; Śiva)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Of them)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karman (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (that)

• वचनम्: speech, words
• वचनम्: Karman (Object of श्रुत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• द्विजाः: O twice-born (brāhmaṇas)
• द्विजाः: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बोधन/उक्तिसूचक (address to audience)

• पार्वत्याः: of Pārvatī
• पार्वत्याः: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• पार्श्वसंस्थायाः: who was seated at (his) side
• पार्श्वसंस्थायाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of पार्वत्याः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पार्श्व + संस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘संस्थ’ (situated); तत्पुरुषः—पार्श्वे संस्थिता (situated at the side)

• मुखचन्द्रम्: the moon-like face
• मुखचन्द्रम्: Karman (Object of समैक्षयत्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख + चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—चन्द्र इव मुखम् (moon-like face)

• समैक्षयत्: looked at, beheld
• समैक्षयत्: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; सम्-उपसर्गपूर्वक

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: brāhmaṇas

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva (Virūpākṣa) hears the devas and turns his steady gaze to Pārvatī’s moonlike face as she sits at his side—an intimate moment before action.

Characters & Entities

• Virūpākṣa (Śiva)
• Pārvatī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In dharmic narratives, divine action often proceeds through harmony of Śiva and Śakti—wisdom and power together.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse functions as narrative linkage within the tīrthamāhātmya; it does not name a specific tīrtha by itself.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a descriptive narrative moment preparing for the ensuing divine act.