Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

बहुमानेन मे वाचं श्रृणुध्वं नाकवासिनः

Transliteration

bahumānena me vācaṃ śrṛṇudhvaṃ nākavāsinaḥ

Translation

天界に住まう者たちよ、しかるべき敬意と慎みをもって、我が言葉を聴け。

Word by Word

• bahumānena: with great respect
• bahumānena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bahumāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• vācam: speech, words
• vācam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāc (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• śṛṇudhvam: listen (you all)
• śṛṇudhvam: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• nāka: heaven
• nāka: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समासाङ्ग (in compound)

• vāsinaḥ: heaven-dwellers
• vāsinaḥ: Sambodhana (Addressed/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘नाका-वासिनः’ = नाकवासी (heaven-dweller)

Speaker

Deductive (contextual): a leading Deva addressing the gods (likely Indra or a chief among the Devas)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nākavāsinaḥ (devas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra calls for respectful hearing; the devas straighten, hands folded, the hall quiets as the proclamation begins.

Characters & Entities

• Nākavāsinaḥ (Devas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma begins with śravaṇa—humble, respectful listening to righteous counsel before action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it functions as a narrative preface to a divine assembly.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse emphasizes respectful attention rather than a rite.