Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 103

Devanagari script

नन्दभद्र उवाच । नमस्तुभ्यमबालाय बालरूपाय धीमते । को भवांस्तत्त्वतो वेत्तुमिच्छामि त्वां शुचिस्मितम्

Transliteration

nandabhadra uvāca | namastubhyamabālāya bālarūpāya dhīmate | ko bhavāṃstattvato vettumicchāmi tvāṃ śucismitam

Translation

നന്ദഭദ്രൻ പറഞ്ഞു—നമസ്കാരം! നിങ്ങൾ ബാലനല്ല; എങ്കിലും ബാലരൂപത്തിൽ ദീപ്തനാണ്, ധീമാനുമാണ്. നിങ്ങൾ തത്ത്വത്തിൽ ആരാണ്? ഹേ ശുചിസ്മിതാ, നിങ്ങളെ യഥാർത്ഥമായി അറിയാൻ ഞാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• nandabhadraḥ: Nandabhadra
• nandabhadraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nanda (प्रातिपदिक) + bhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम, कर्मधारय

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच्)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Prayojana (Salutation/नमस्कार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: नमः-प्रयोगः (indeclinable interjection of salutation)

• tubhyam: to you
• tubhyam: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• abālāya: to the non-child (not childish)
• abālāya: Viśeṣya-anvaya (Qualifier to 'you'/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-bāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; नञ्-समासपूर्वक विशेषण

• bālarūpāya: to one having a childlike form
• bālarūpāya: Viśeṣya-anvaya (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (बालस्य रूपम्) विशेषण

• dhīmate: to the wise
• dhīmate: Viśeṣya-anvaya (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhīmat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण

• kaḥ: who
• kaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• bhavān: you (honorific)
• bhavān: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; आदरार्थक सर्वनाम

• tattvataḥ: in truth
• tattvataḥ: Prakāra (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tattvatas (अव्यय)
• Form: तत्त्वतः-प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: truly/in reality)

• vettum: to know
• vettum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (विद्)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), कर्मप्रवचनीयार्थे (to know)

• icchāmi: I wish
• icchāmi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √iṣ (इष्)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• śucismitam: (you) of pure smile
• śucismitam: Viśeṣya-anvaya (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuci (प्रातिपदिक) + smita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (शुचि स्मितं यस्य) विशेषण

Speaker

Nandabhadra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Child-form wise being (identity queried)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nandabhadra bows to a radiant child-form figure whose eyes show deep wisdom; the moment is charged with wonder and respectful questioning.

Characters & Entities

• Nandabhadra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True wisdom may appear in unexpected forms; sincere inquiry into tattva (reality) is praised.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is named in this verse; it frames a dialogue within the chapter’s teaching context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse centers on reverence (namas) and the quest to know the truth.