Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

अथ भीतः सहस्राक्षस्तद्दृष्ट्वा स्वर्गदायकम् । अक्लेशेन मनुष्याणां पूरयामास पांसुभिः

Transliteration

atha bhītaḥ sahasrākṣastaddṛṣṭvā svargadāyakam | akleśena manuṣyāṇāṃ pūrayāmāsa pāṃsubhiḥ

Translation

Alors Sahasrākṣa (Indra), effrayé de voir qu’il donnait le ciel, le combla de sable afin que les hommes ne l’obtiennent pas sans peine.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक (then/thereupon)

• भीतः: afraid
• भीतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भी (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (agreeing with सहस्राक्षः)

• सहस्राक्षः: Indra (the thousand-eyed)
• सहस्राक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिः (यस्यानि सहस्रम् अक्षाणि सः); पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• तत्: that (thing/place)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (object of दृष्ट्वा)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (Non-finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययभाव-कृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having seen)

• स्वर्गदायकम्: granting heaven
• स्वर्गदायकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + दायक (दा-धातु; ण्वुल्)
• Form: चतुर्थी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वर्गं ददाति इति); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (qualifying तत्)

• अक्लेशेन: without hardship
• अक्लेशेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्लेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (instrumental/करण); एकवचन (with no trouble)

• मनुष्याणाम्: of humans
• मनुष्याणाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; षष्ठी (genitive/सम्बन्ध); बहुवचन

• पूरयामास: filled/completed
• पूरयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूरय् (धातु; causative of पॄ)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद; periphrastic perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• पांसुभिः: with dust/soil
• पांसुभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पांसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया (instrumental/करण); बहुवचन

Speaker

Sūta (contextual narration in Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gomukha

Type: tirtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra (Sahasrākṣa), alarmed, commands or personally causes sand to be poured to cover the heaven-giving ford; the sacred water is partially hidden beneath dunes.

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Sahasrākṣa)
• Svarga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Extraordinary merit is often guarded or concealed; the narrative frames spiritual attainment as requiring perseverance rather than effortless gain.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gomukha-tīrtha, described as svarga-dāyaka (heaven-bestowing).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it explains an obstruction (the tīrtha being covered), implying the need to seek and uncover/approach it properly.