Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

अथाकालागतां दृष्ट्वा मातरं त्रस्तचेतसम् । रंभमाणां समालोक्य वत्सः प्रोवाच विस्मयात्

Transliteration

athākālāgatāṃ dṛṣṭvā mātaraṃ trastacetasam | raṃbhamāṇāṃ samālokya vatsaḥ provāca vismayāt

Translation

Alors, voyant sa mère arriver à une heure inhabituelle, l’esprit bouleversé par la peur, et la voyant crier en pleurant, l’enfant parla, saisi d’étonnement.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक (then)

• अकाल-आगताम्: arrived at an untimely hour
• अकाल-आगताम्: Visheshana (of mātaram)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकाल (प्रातिपदिक) + आगत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सप्तमी/तत्पुरुषार्थ (अकाले आगता = arrived at an improper time)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund)

• मातरम्: mother
• मातरम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्रस्त-चेतसम्: with a frightened mind
• त्रस्त-चेतसम्: Visheshana (of mātaram)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रस्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (यस्याः चेतः त्रस्तं सा = whose mind is frightened)

• रंभमाणाम्: crying/bleating
• रंभमाणाम्: Visheshana (of mātaram)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रंभ् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (Present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समालोक्य: having looked at
• समालोक्य: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + लोक् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund)

• वत्सः: the calf
• वत्सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रोवाच: said
• प्रोवाच: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• विस्मयात्: from astonishment
• विस्मयात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ (because of astonishment)

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta, implied continuation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside or near a simple dwelling, the child looks up in surprise as his mother arrives at an odd hour, trembling and crying; her posture shows haste and fear, his face shows innocent concern.

Characters & Entities

• Nandinī
• son (vatsa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma narratives often begin with human vulnerability, setting the stage for steadfastness and righteous resolve.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of the chapter’s tīrtha-centered narration; no specific site-name appears in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.