Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

गालव उवाच । ज्ञात्वा मुनिभयत्रस्तं देवेशं शूलपाणिनम्

Transliteration

gālava uvāca | jñātvā munibhayatrastaṃ deveśaṃ śūlapāṇinam

Translation

Gālava dit : Ayant compris que le Seigneur des dieux—Śiva, le porteur du trident—avait été troublé par la crainte à cause des sages, (ils agirent en conséquence).

Word by Word

• गालवः: Gālava
• गालवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गालव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having done)

• मुनि: of sages
• मुनि: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural) — समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• भय: fear
• भय: Hetu/Reason (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन — समासाङ्ग

• त्रस्तम्: frightened
• त्रस्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रस् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• मुनिभयत्रस्तम्: frightened by the fear (caused) by sages / frightened due to sages
• मुनिभयत्रस्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुनि + भय + त्रस्त (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): 'मुनिभयेन त्रस्तः' इति; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• देवेशम्: the Lord of the gods
• देवेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + ईश (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'देवानाम् ईशः' (lord of gods); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• शूलपाणिनम्: the trident-bearer
• शूलपाणिनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूल + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: 'शूलः पाणौ यस्य' (having a trident in hand); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Gālava

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gālava narrates as sages react to news that Śiva, trident in hand, has been disturbed; the atmosphere is tense, foreshadowing divine intervention.

Characters & Entities

• Gālava
• Śiva (Śūlapāṇi)
• Deveśa
• Munis (Sages)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse signals the gravity of sage-power and divine responsiveness—events in tīrtha narratives often turn on the interaction of devas, sages, and Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this line; it introduces a narrative transition toward a divine locale described in following verses.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative marker identifying the speaker and the situation.