Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

ततः शुक्रं समाहूय प्रोवाच मधुरं वचः । विनयावनतो भूत्वा चतुर्भिः सचिवैः सह

Transliteration

tataḥ śukraṃ samāhūya provāca madhuraṃ vacaḥ | vinayāvanato bhūtvā caturbhiḥ sacivaiḥ saha

Translation

Alors, convoquant Śukra, il prononça des paroles douces, s'inclinant avec courtoisie, accompagné de ses quatre ministres.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kāla (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/अनन्तर (adverb: “then/thereupon”)

• शुक्रम्: Śukra
• शुक्रम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (accusative, 2nd); एकवचन

• समाहूय: having summoned
• समाहूय: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + हु (धातु) → समाहूय (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• प्रोवाच: said
• प्रोवाच: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मधुरम्: sweet
• मधुरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘वचः’)

• वचः: words/speech
• वचः: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन

• विनयावनतः: bowed down with humility
• विनयावनतः: Karta-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनय-अवनत (प्रातिपदिक; विनय + अवनत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषण (कर्तृ-विशेषण)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु) → भूत्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• चतुर्भिः: with four
• चतुर्भिः: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण (qualifying ‘सचिवैः’)

• सचिवैः: ministers/counsellors
• सचिवैः: Sahakāraka (Accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सचिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; बहुवचन

• सह: with
• सह: Sahārtha (Accompaniment marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-योगे अव्यय (postposition: “with”)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator addressing brāhmaṇas)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: brāhmaṇas/ṛṣis (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A formal summons: Śukra enters or is seated as revered ācārya; the asura-king bows with folded hands, four ministers standing behind in orderly formation.

Characters & Entities

• Vṛtra
• Śukra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the powerful seek counsel; approaching a teacher with humility is portrayed as an effective (though not always righteous) strategy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it narrates a consultation with the preceptor Śukra.