Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

तत्तादृशमथालोक्य नन्दी विस्मयमागतः । चिन्तयामास मनसा सर्वं तेषां निरीक्ष्य च

Transliteration

tattādṛśamathālokya nandī vismayamāgataḥ | cintayāmāsa manasā sarvaṃ teṣāṃ nirīkṣya ca

Translation

Les voyant agir de la sorte, Nandin fut saisi d’émerveillement. Observant tout ce qu’ils faisaient, il réfléchit profondément en son for intérieur.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying तादृशम्)

• तादृशम्: such a thing/state
• तादृशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तादृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भ-बोधक (particle: then/now)

• आलोक्य: having seen
• आलोक्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-लोक् (धातु) → आलोक्य (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): ‘having seen’

• नन्दी: Nandin
• नन्दी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विस्मयम्: wonder, astonishment
• विस्मयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आगतः: having come to (i.e., having attained)
• आगतः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु) → आगत (कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), नन्दी-विशेषणम्

• चिन्तयामास: thought, reflected
• चिन्तयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• मनसा: with the mind
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• निरीक्ष्य: having observed
• निरीक्ष्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि-ईक्ष् (धातु) → निरीक्ष्य (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): ‘having observed’

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

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic voice within Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Pāśupateśvara-liṅga precinct)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nandī, the bull-bannered lord’s attendant, stands slightly apart in a sacred precinct, watching ascetics’ actions with widened eyes and a contemplative brow, hands relaxed yet poised, as if weighing dharma in silence.

Characters & Entities

• Nandin
• tapasvin-gaṇa (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Witnessing sincere practice inspires inner reflection; wonder (vismaya) becomes a doorway to understanding sacred action and dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, whose living devotional culture evokes awe even in Nandin.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None newly prescribed; the verse highlights observation (nirīkṣaṇa) and contemplation (cintana) prompted by ongoing rites.