Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

तावेकदा पुराणार्थे श्लोकमेकमपश्यताम् । तं दृष्ट्वा सर्वशास्त्रज्ञावास्तां कंटकितत्वचौ

Transliteration

tāvekadā purāṇārthe ślokamekamapaśyatām | taṃ dṛṣṭvā sarvaśāstrajñāvāstāṃ kaṃṭakitatvacau

Translation

ഒരു ദിവസം പുരാണാർത്ഥം പരിശോധിക്കുമ്പോൾ അവർ ഒരു ശ്ലോകം കണ്ടു. അത് കണ്ടപ്പോൾ സർവ്വശാസ്ത്രജ്ഞരായ ആ ഇരുവരും ആനന്ദത്തിൽ രോമാഞ്ചിതരായി।

Word by Word

• tau: those two
• tau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• ekadā: once
• ekadā: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ekadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (once)

• purāṇa-arthe: in the purāṇic context/meaning
• purāṇa-arthe: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘पुराणार्थे’ = पुराणस्य अर्थे/विषये (in the matter/meaning of the Purāṇa)

• ślokam: a verse
• ślokam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śloka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• ekam: one
• ekam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• apaśyatām: (the two) saw
• apaśyatām: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: apa-√dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘अपश्यताम्’ = the two saw

• tam: that (it)
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु) + ktvā (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive) = having seen

• sarva-śāstra-jñau: knowers of all scriptures
• sarva-śāstra-jñau: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + śāstra (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; ‘सर्वशास्त्रज्ञौ’ = सर्वेषां शास्त्राणां ज्ञातारौ (knowers of all śāstras)

• āstām: were
• āstām: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: लिट्/लङ्-रूपसदृश (narrative past); प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘आस्ताम्’ = were

• kaṇṭakita-tvacau: with bristling skin (thrilled)
• kaṇṭakita-tvacau: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kaṇṭakita (प्रातिपदिक; √kaṇṭak + ita, ‘bristling’) + tvac (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; बहुव्रीहिः = ‘कण्टकिता त्वक् यस्य’ (whose skin had horripilation)

Speaker

Nārada (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Somnātha (contextual, forthcoming)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two erudite brāhmaṇas sit with manuscripts; as they read a single śloka, their bodies show gooseflesh and eyes widen with devotional wonder; a subtle divine light falls on the text, hinting at its potency.

Characters & Entities

• Ūrjayanta
• Prāleya
• Purāṇa
• Śāstra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True scriptural insight is not merely intellectual; it awakens devotion and propels one toward sacred action such as pilgrimage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate verse does not name it, but it sets up the Prabhāsa/Somanātha tīrtha praise that follows.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; it depicts the devotional response (romāñca) arising from hearing/seeing a sacred teaching.