Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

देवतानां च प्रत्यक्षं तांडवं नर्तसे यदि । पारयित्वा व्रतं सम्यग्ब्रह्मचर्यं महेश्वर

Transliteration

devatānāṃ ca pratyakṣaṃ tāṃḍavaṃ nartase yadi | pārayitvā vrataṃ samyagbrahmacaryaṃ maheśvara

Translation

«Si, en la présence même des dieux, tu danses le Tāṇḍava ; et après avoir accompli comme il se doit le vœu—avec une continence parfaite—ô Maheśvara…»

Word by Word

• devatānām: of the gods
• devatānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• pratyakṣam: manifestly / directly
• pratyakṣam: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pratyakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणवत् नपुंसक-एकवचन-आकारान्त; अव्ययीभाव/अव्ययप्रयोग (adverbial accusative)

• tāṇḍavam: the Tāṇḍava dance
• tāṇḍavam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāṇḍava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• nartase: you dance
• nartase: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nṛt (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (Condition marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तसूचक अव्यय (conditional particle)

• pārayitvā: having completed
• pārayitvā: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pṛ (धातु, पारयति caus.) → pārayitvā (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), हेतुपूर्वक क्रिया (having completed)

• vratam: the vow
• vratam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• samyak: properly
• samyak: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samyak (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• brahmacaryam: celibacy / brahmacarya
• brahmacaryam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahmacarya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• maheśvara: O Maheshvara
• maheśvara: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

Pārvatī (Devī/Bhagavatī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva performs the Tāṇḍava before assembled devas; the Goddess states conditions: complete the vow properly with brahmacarya. The scene is dynamic—raised foot, flying matted locks, rhythmic attendants—yet framed by the solemnity of vow-discipline.

Characters & Entities

• Pārvatī
• Śiva
• Devatāḥ
• Tāṇḍava
• Brahmacarya
• Vrata

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma praises disciplined vow-keeping (vrata) and brahmacarya as foundations for divine favor.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader unit belongs to Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya; this verse itself focuses on vow and divine act.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Proper completion of a vrata with brahmacarya, framed within the Cāturmāsya season.