Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 87

Devanagari script

ततः प्रणम्य शिरसा साष्टांगं विनयान्वितः । प्रोवाच प्रांजलिर्भूत्वा स्वागतं ते पितामह

Transliteration

tataḥ praṇamya śirasā sāṣṭāṃgaṃ vinayānvitaḥ | provāca prāṃjalirbhūtvā svāgataṃ te pitāmaha

Translation

Alors, inclinant la tête et se prosternant entièrement (sāṣṭāṅga) avec humilité, il parla les mains jointes : «Sois le bienvenu, ô Pitāmaha (Aïeul vénérable).»

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then, thereafter
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Temporal/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/अनन्तरवाचक अव्यय (adverb: then/thereafter)

• praṇamya: having bowed
• praṇamya: Kriyā (Gerundial action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√nam (धातु) + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यबन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having bowed)

• śirasā: with (his) head
• śirasā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• sāṣṭāṅgam: with full prostration (eight-limbed)
• sāṣṭāṅgam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sa (उपसर्ग/सह) + aṣṭāṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (सह + अष्टाङ्गम्), क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial: with all eight limbs/prostrating)

• vinaya-anvitaḥ: endowed with humility
• vinaya-anvitaḥ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vinaya (प्रातिपदिक) + anvita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तृतीया/संबन्ध: विनयेन अन्वितः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (शक्रस्य)

• provāca: said, spoke
• provāca: Kriyā (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• prāñjaliḥ: with joined palms
• prāñjaliḥ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prāñjali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (शक्रस्य)

• bhūtvā: having become
• bhūtvā: Kriyā (Gerundial action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having become)

• svāgatam: welcome
• svāgatam: Karma (Utterance-content/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svāgata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (उक्तिवाक्ये 'स्वागतम्' इति)

• te: to you
• te: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• pitāmaha: O Grandfather (Brahmā)
• pitāmaha: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitāmaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Śakra (Indra)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra performs a full prostration, then rises with folded hands and formally welcomes Brahmā as ‘Pitāmaha’; the composition centers on the gesture of surrender and respectful greeting.

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)
• Brahmā (Pitāmaha)
• Sāṣṭāṅga-praṇāma
• Prāñjali

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Humility before the venerable is itself a sacred act that opens the way for instruction and restoration of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of a tīrtha-māhātmya chapter, but the line highlights conduct (ācāra) rather than the site name.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sāṣṭāṅga prostration and prāñjali greeting as proper modes of reverence.