Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा संक्रुद्धस्य द्विजन्मनः । सप्तार्चिर्भयसंत्रस्तः कृतांजलिरुवाच तम्

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā saṃkruddhasya dvijanmanaḥ | saptārcirbhayasaṃtrastaḥ kṛtāṃjaliruvāca tam

Translation

Sūta dit : Entendant ces paroles du brāhmane courroucé, Saptārcis (Agni), saisi de crainte, s’adressa à lui les mains jointes.

Word by Word

• sūtaḥ: Sūta
• sūtaḥ: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine nominative singular

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (Speech-act/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; Perfect, 3rd person singular

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter accusative singular qualifying vacanam

• vacanam: speech/words
• vacanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter accusative singular

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Avyaya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √śru (धातु) + tvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• saṃkruddhasya: of the enraged (one)
• saṃkruddhasya: Sambandha (Qualifier in genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam√krudh (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन; Past participle masculine genitive singular

• dvijanmanaḥ: of the twice-born (brahmin)
• dvijanmanaḥ: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular (of the twice-born)

• saptārciḥ: the seven-flamed (Fire)
• saptārciḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sapta (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + arci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine nominative singular (seven-flamed)

• bhaya-saṃtrastaḥ: terrified
• bhaya-saṃtrastaḥ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक) + sam√tras (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; Masculine nominative singular (frightened by fear)

• kṛtāñjaliḥ: with folded hands
• kṛtāñjaliḥ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (√kṛ + kta) + añjali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; Masculine nominative singular (with hands joined)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (Speech-act/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; Perfect, 3rd person singular

• tam: to him
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (implied audience of Sūta’s discourse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sūta narrates: the enraged brāhmaṇa’s words land; Agni (Saptārcis), frightened, folds his hands and begins to speak—flames subdued, posture reverent.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Agni
• Saptārcis

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even cosmic powers uphold humility and proper speech; the narrative frames Agni’s response as dharmic clarification rather than conflict.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not named in this verse; the passage remains within a Tīrthamāhātmya chapter’s storyline.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.