Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

अथ संप्रेषयामास सर्वभूताश्रयेषु ये । चित्रकर्मणि विख्यातान्नरांश्चित्रकरांस्तदा

Transliteration

atha saṃpreṣayāmāsa sarvabhūtāśrayeṣu ye | citrakarmaṇi vikhyātānnarāṃścitrakarāṃstadā

Translation

ಆಗ ಅವನು ಸರ್ವಭೂತಗಳ ಆಶ್ರಯಸ್ಥಾನಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಸಂಚರಿಸಬಲ್ಲ, ಚಿತ್ರಕರ್ಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಖ್ಯಾತರಾದ ಚಿತ್ರಕಾರ ಪುರುಷರನ್ನು ಕಳುಹಿಸಿದನು।

Word by Word

• अथ: then, now
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (sequence/now-then)

• संप्रेषयामास: he sent forth, dispatched
• संप्रेषयामास: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-इष् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन (singular); परस्मैपदम्; causative sense ‘to cause to be sent’

• सर्वभूताश्रयेषु: among the refuges/supports of all beings
• सर्वभूताश्रयेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-भूत-आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग? (आश्रयः पुं); सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण); बहुवचन (plural); समासः—सर्वेषां भूतानाम् आश्रयः (support of all beings)

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता); बहुवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक (relative pronoun)

• चित्रकर्मणि: in the art of painting
• चित्रकर्मणि: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्र-कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण); एकवचन; समासः—चित्रस्य कर्म (art-work/painting)

• विख्यातान्: renowned, famous
• विख्यातान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-ख्यात (कृदन्त; ख्या धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म); बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘नरान्/चित्रकरान्’)

• नरान्: men
• नरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म); बहुवचन

• चित्रकरान्: painters, artists
• चित्रकरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्र-कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म); बहुवचन; समासः—चित्रं करोति इति (one who makes pictures)

• तदा: at that time
• तदा: Kala-adhikarana (Time adjunct/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Sūta (contextual narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king in court dispatches renowned portrait-painters, gesturing toward the horizon; painters carry scrolls, pigments, and cloth, preparing to travel to many realms.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It illustrates careful, wide-ranging inquiry in fulfilling dharma—seeking merit and suitability rather than relying on narrow interests.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed.