Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

तथापि च वदिष्यामि पृष्टो देवाग्रतो यतः

Transliteration

tathāpi ca vadiṣyāmi pṛṣṭo devāgrato yataḥ

Translation

Namun aku akan berkata, sebab aku ditanya di sini di hadapan langsung Sang Dewa.

Word by Word

• तथापि: nevertheless
• तथापि: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा + अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/विरोधार्थक-अव्यय (concessive: 'even so')

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• वदिष्यामि: I will speak
• वदिष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वद् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन

• पृष्टः: (I) having been asked
• पृष्टः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृष्ट (कृदन्त; √प्रच्छ् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तृसामानाधिकरण्ये (agreeing with implied 'अहम्')

• देवाग्रतः: before the gods
• देवाग्रतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + अग्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानाम् अग्रतः), पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे (ablative used adverbially: 'in front of the gods')

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक-अव्यय (causal conjunction: 'because/since')

Speaker

King Bṛhatsena (by immediate continuation of his speech in context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solemn assembly: a narrator/sage stands with folded hands, speaking because he has been asked, with the deity’s presence implied—either a liṅga or a radiant divine figure behind/above the सभा.

Characters & Entities

• Deva (Śiva, by liṅga context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The deity’s presence compels integrity; in sacred space, one is bound to truthful disclosure when questioned rightly.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A devāyatana (temple) in the Nāgarakhaṇḍa tīrtha cycle; the exact geographical name is beyond this single verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; it emphasizes devāgrataḥ—acting and speaking with accountability before the deity.