Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

मा भैष्ट देवताः सर्वाः पश्यध्वं मद्विचेष्टितम् । इत्युक्त्वा भगवाञ्छम्भुर्मंत्रैराथर्वणैस्तदा

Transliteration

mā bhaiṣṭa devatāḥ sarvāḥ paśyadhvaṃ madviceṣṭitam | ityuktvā bhagavāñchambhurmaṃtrairātharvaṇaistadā

Translation

«Ne craignez point, ô dieux tous : contemplez mon acte !» Ayant ainsi parlé, le Bienheureux Śambhu agit alors au moyen de mantras atharvaniques.

Word by Word

• मा: do not
• मा: Sambandha/Discourse (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात (prohibitive particle)

• भैष्ट: fear
• भैष्ट: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भी (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद; निषेधेन सह ‘मा भैष्ट’ = do not fear

• देवताः: O gods
• देवताः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे (vocative sense though form = nom. pl.)

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘देवताः’ इति विशेषण

• पश्यध्वम्: see/behold
• पश्यध्वम्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद

• मत्: my
• मत्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-समासार्थे/सम्बन्धे; ‘मद्’ = मम (of me) (genitive sense)

• विचेष्टितम्: deed/act
• विचेष्टितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि-चेष्ट् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘कृतम्/आचरितम्’ इति

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha/Discourse (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त्वा
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive)

• भगवान्: the Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शम्भुः: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘भगवान्’ इति समानाधिकरण

• मन्त्रैः: with mantras
• मन्त्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• आथर्वणैः: Atharvan (Atharva-vedic)
• आथर्वणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आथर्वण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘मन्त्रैः’ इति विशेषण (Atharvan/atharvaṇa-type)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then/at that time)

Speaker

Sūta (narrating); quoted speaker: Śambhu (Śiva)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva (Śambhu) stands or appears radiant, raising a hand in abhaya-mudrā toward frightened devas; his other hand holds or gestures as if invoking Atharvanic mantras; a protective aura spreads, calming the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Devatāḥ
• Atharva-mantra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Fear dissolves when one takes refuge in the Lord; Śiva’s assurance signifies that divine protection operates through mantra and will aligned with dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya flow; the immediate focus is Śiva’s intervention rather than naming a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Mantra-prayoga is implied: Śiva employs Atharvaveda-associated mantras, indicating the sanctity and power of mantra as a dharmic remedy.