Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

अथ दृष्टः शुकस्तैश्च भ्रममाणैर्महावने । भोभोः शुक त्वया वह्निर्यदि दृष्टो निवेद्यताम्

Transliteration

atha dṛṣṭaḥ śukastaiśca bhramamāṇairmahāvane | bhobhoḥ śuka tvayā vahniryadi dṛṣṭo nivedyatām

Translation

Puis, tandis qu’ils erraient dans la grande forêt, ils aperçurent un perroquet. «Hé, hé, ô perroquet ! Si tu as vu le Feu, fais-le-nous savoir.»

Word by Word

• अथ: then, thereafter
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (indeclinable; then/thereupon)

• दृष्टः: seen
• दृष्टः: Karma (Object-state/कर्मभाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, past passive participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘seen’

• शुकः: the parrot
• शुकः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• भ्रममाणैः: by (those) wandering
• भ्रममाणैः: Karana (Instrument/agentive-instrument/करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त, present active participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; ‘wandering’

• महावने: in the great forest
• महावने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महावन (प्रातिपदिक: महा + वन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• भोभोः: hey! hey!
• भोभोः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भोः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle), पुनरुक्ति ‘भो भोः’

• शुक: O parrot
• शुक: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वह्निः: fire
• वह्निः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तसूचक (conditional particle)

• दृष्टः: (has been) seen
• दृष्टः: Karma (Object-state/कर्मभाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘seen’ (predicate)

• निवेद्यताम्: let it be reported
• निवेद्यताम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + विद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद/कर्मणि-प्रयोग (let it be reported/informed)

Speaker

Devas (collectively)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A band of radiant devas wander through a dense forest and halt before a perched parrot; they address it urgently, asking whether it has seen the hidden Fire.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Śuka (parrot)
• Vahni (Agni)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cooperation and truthful communication are dharmic tools for resolving संकट (crisis); even small beings can aid a cosmic task.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse does not name a particular tīrtha; it is part of the chapter’s narrative backdrop.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is stated in this verse.