Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

वेदरूपाश्रिता पूर्वमाविर्भूता तपोबलात् । ततो भगवताऽदिष्टः सृज त्वं बहुधा प्रजाः

Transliteration

vedarūpāśritā pūrvamāvirbhūtā tapobalāt | tato bhagavatā'diṣṭaḥ sṛja tvaṃ bahudhā prajāḥ

Translation

Autrefois, soutenu par la forme des Védas, je me manifestai par la puissance de l’austérité. Puis, sur l’ordre du Seigneur, il me fut prescrit : «Crée les êtres de multiples façons».

Word by Word

• वेदरूपाश्रिता: having taken refuge in the form of the Veda
• वेदरूपाश्रिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद-रूप-आश्रित (प्रातिपदिक; वेद + रूप + आश्रित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (आश्रित)

• पूर्वम्: formerly, earlier
• पूर्वम्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्वम् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभावप्रयोग)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• आविर्भूता: manifested, appeared
• आविर्भूता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आविर्-भू (धातु; भू + उपसर्ग/अव्यय ‘आविर्’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (भू→भूत)

• तपोबलात्: from the power of austerity
• तपोबलात्: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्-बल (प्रातिपदिक; तपस् + बल)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक ‘तद्’ से)
• Form: अव्यय; तद्-प्रभव अव्यय (adverb: then/thereafter)

• भगवता: by the Lord
• भगवता: Kartr̥/Agent (by whom)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• आदिष्टः: commanded, instructed
• आदिष्टः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-√दिश् (धातु; दिश्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त

• सृज: create!
• सृज: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम/मध्यम-पुरुषवाचक सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• बहुधा: in many ways
• बहुधा: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• प्रजाः: creatures, beings
• प्रजाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Brahmā (narrating; command attributed to Bhagavān)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: From the glow of tapas, the Vedas appear as personified radiant forms or as four luminous books/streams of mantra; the Lord (or a supreme radiance) issues a command to create; the creator receives it with folded hands.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Veda
• Bhagavān (the Lord)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Creation and right action are grounded in Vedic order and empowered by tapas, but ultimately proceed by divine command.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse is cosmological and does not specify a particular tīrtha; it establishes Vedic-sacred authority for the surrounding māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite like snāna or dāna is prescribed; the emphasis is on tapas and obedience to the Lord’s injunction.