Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

अथ संप्रस्थितान्दृष्ट्वा तान्देवान्स्वाश्रमं प्रति । गजेंद्रशुकमण्डूकास्ते प्रोचुर्दुःखसंयुताः

Transliteration

atha saṃprasthitāndṛṣṭvā tāndevānsvāśramaṃ prati | gajeṃdraśukamaṇḍūkāste procurduḥkhasaṃyutāḥ

Translation

Alors, voyant ces dieux se mettre en route vers leur propre āśrama, le roi des éléphants, le perroquet et la grenouille—accablés de chagrin—prirent la parole.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then)

• संप्रस्थितान्: departed, set out
• संप्रस्थितान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-प्र-√स्था (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन (qualifying तान् देवान्)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √दृश् (धातु) + त्वा (प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त; त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• देवान्: gods
• देवान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• स्वाश्रमम्: their own hermitage
• स्वाश्रमम्: Gati/Karma (Goal as object/गति-कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय (स्वः आश्रमः); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• प्रति: towards
• प्रति: Dik/Goal (Direction/गति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश-निपात (preposition: towards)

• गजेन्द्रशुकमण्डूकाः: the elephant(-king), the parrot, and the frogs
• गजेन्द्रशुकमण्डूकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गजेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + शुक (प्रातिपदिक) + मण्डूक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (गजेन्द्रः च शुकः च मण्डूकाः च); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• प्रोचुः: said, spoke
• प्रोचुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• दुःखसंयुताः: afflicted with sorrow
• दुःखसंयुताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुत (प्रातिपदिक/क्त)
• Form: समास: तृतीया-तत्पुरुष (दुःखेन संयुताः = endowed with sorrow); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (agreeing with ते)

Speaker

Sūta (context continued)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of devas depart toward their āśrama; in the foreground, an elephant-king, a parrot, and a frog—visibly distressed—call out to stop them, hands/limbs folded in supplication.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Gajendra (elephant-king)
• Śuka (parrot)
• Maṇḍūka (frog)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Those burdened by suffering seek refuge in divine guidance; tīrtha narratives often begin with afflicted beings approaching the gods for a remedy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The surrounding chapter glorifies Agnitīrtha; this verse introduces the next episode connected to the devas’ departure.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it is a narrative bridge leading to counsel and remedial action.