Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

ततः प्रसारयामास स्ववक्त्रं पावको द्रुतम् । कुर्वञ्छक्रसमादेशमविकल्पेन चेतसा

Transliteration

tataḥ prasārayāmāsa svavaktraṃ pāvako drutam | kurvañchakrasamādeśamavikalpena cetasā

Translation

Alors Pāvaka (Agni) ouvrit promptement sa bouche, exécutant l’ordre d’Indra d’un esprit ferme, sans hésitation.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable adverb; अर्थे: 'तस्मात्/तदनन्तरम्' (thereafter/from that)

• प्रसारयामास: he/it spread out
• प्रसारयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√सृ (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; णिजन्त (causative) = 'caused to extend/spread'

• स्ववक्त्रम्: his own mouth/face
• स्ववक्त्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य वक्त्रम् = his own mouth/face)

• पावकः: Fire (Agni)
• पावकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāvaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• द्रुतम्: quickly
• द्रुतम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial qualifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: druta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् प्रयोगः (adverbially: quickly)

• कुर्वन्: doing
• कुर्वन्: Karta (Agent-participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'करन्' = doing

• शक्रसमादेशम्: Indra's command
• शक्रसमादेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + समादेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शक्रस्य समादेशः = Indra's command)

• अविकल्पेन: without hesitation
• अविकल्पेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avikalpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; 'अविकल्प' = without doubt/without hesitation

• चेतसा: with (his) mind
• चेतसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śarastamba (reed-thicket locus)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Agni, radiant and swift, opens his blazing mouth to receive/contain the potent seed, acting under Indra’s command; devas watch with tense urgency.

Characters & Entities

• Agni (Pāvaka)
• Śakra (Indra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Single-pointed resolve (avikalpa) in righteous duty enables the carrying of even overwhelming responsibilities.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is identified in this verse; it continues the mythic sequence within the Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse narrates Agni’s readiness and obedience.