Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 89

Devanagari script

स मां विनयसंपन्नं ज्ञात्वा ब्राह्मणरूपिणम् । ददौ दीक्षां ततो मह्यं शास्त्रदृष्टेन कर्मणा

Transliteration

sa māṃ vinayasaṃpannaṃ jñātvā brāhmaṇarūpiṇam | dadau dīkṣāṃ tato mahyaṃ śāstradṛṣṭena karmaṇā

Translation

Me reconnaissant comme un être empreint de discipline, apparaissant sous la forme d’un brāhmaṇa, il me conféra alors l’initiation, selon le rite prescrit par les Écritures.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उभयलिङ्ग (सर्वनाम), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• विनय-संपन्नम्: endowed with humility
• विनय-संपन्नम्: Karma (Object-Qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनय (प्रातिपदिक) + संपन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; सम्+पद्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (माम्)

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Gerund/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having known)

• ब्राह्मण-रूपिणम्: in the form of a brāhmaṇa
• ब्राह्मण-रूपिणम्: Karma (Object-Qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (माम्)

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दीक्षाम्: initiation
• दीक्षाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adverbial (Sequence/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/क्रम (then/from that point)

• मह्यम्: to me
• मह्यम्: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उभयलिङ्ग (सर्वनाम), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• शास्त्र-दृष्टेन: prescribed by scripture
• शास्त्र-दृष्टेन: Karana (Instrument-Qualifier/करणविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + दृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; दृश्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (कर्मणा)

• कर्मणा: by the rite/action
• कर्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

Speaker

An unnamed narrator (reporting the result) within the Tīrthamāhātmya narrative

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa-appearing guru recognizes a disciplined seeker and performs formal dīkṣā with ritual implements, fire, and mantra gestures.

Characters & Entities

• Gālava (implied)
• Dīkṣā
• Śāstra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Initiation is a sacred, rule-governed transmission; śāstra-guided practice protects the purity of spiritual life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; the focus is on orthodox initiation within a sacred narrative setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dīkṣā is performed through a śāstra-sanctioned ritual procedure (śāstradṛṣṭa karma).