Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

लुंठनैः सर्पणैश्चैव चारुरूपोऽद्भुतां गतिम् । तं दृष्ट्वा भगवांस्तत्र कारणं समबुद्ध्यत

Transliteration

luṃṭhanaiḥ sarpaṇaiścaiva cārurūpo'dbhutāṃ gatim | taṃ dṛṣṭvā bhagavāṃstatra kāraṇaṃ samabuddhyata

Translation

Par des mouvements de roulade et de reptation, celui à la forme gracieuse déploya une démarche merveilleuse. Le Seigneur, le voyant là, en comprit la cause profonde.

Word by Word

• लुंठनैः: by rollings/tumblings
• लुंठनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लुंठन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (means)

• सर्पणैः: by crawlings/creepings
• सर्पणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्पण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• चारुरूपः: of beautiful form
• चारुरूपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चारु + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular masculine; विशेषण

• अद्भुताम्: wonderful
• अद्भुताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular feminine; विशेषण

• गतिम्: movement/way
• गतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• तम्: him/that (one)
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular pronoun

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + क्त्वा (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

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

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• कारणम्: the cause/reason
• कारणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• समबुद्ध्यत: understood/realized
• समबुद्ध्यत: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + बुध् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Imperfect, 3rd person singular; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dove performs rolling and creeping motions—odd, mesmerizing—before the calm Maheśvara; the Lord’s gaze sharpens with understanding, revealing he has grasped the true reason for the bird’s behavior.

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavān (Śiva)
• Agni (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord’s knowledge is immediate and complete; outer appearances cannot obscure inner purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not indicated in this verse; it remains within the broader tīrtha-mahātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this is a narrative moment emphasizing Śiva’s discernment.