Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

स एवं बहुधा ध्यात्वा तदर्थं पृथिवीपतिः । निश्चयं प्राकरोच्चित्ते प्रष्टव्योऽत्र पितामहः

Transliteration

sa evaṃ bahudhā dhyātvā tadarthaṃ pṛthivīpatiḥ | niścayaṃ prākaroccitte praṣṭavyo'tra pitāmahaḥ

Translation

ആ കാര്യത്തെ പലവിധം ധ്യാനിച്ച ശേഷം ഭൂമിപതി രാജാവ് ഹൃദയത്തിൽ ദൃഢനിശ്ചയം ചെയ്തു—“ഈ വിഷയത്തിൽ പിതാമഹൻ ബ്രഹ്മാവിനോടു ചോദിക്കണം.”

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• बहुधा: in many ways; repeatedly
• बहुधा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, आवृत्तिवाचक/प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: in many ways/many times)

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated/thought
• ध्यात्वा: Kriyā (Gerund; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having done), धातु: ध्यै (चिन्तायाम्)

• तदर्थम्: that purpose; for that reason
• तदर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध: तस्य अर्थः), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• पृथिवीपतिः: the king; lord of the earth
• पृथिवीपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: पृथिव्याः पतिः), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• निश्चयम्: a decision; resolve
• निश्चयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निश्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• प्राकरोत्: made; formed
• प्राकरोत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: कृ (करणे) उपसर्ग: प्र

• चित्ते: in (his) mind
• चित्ते: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन

• प्रष्टव्यः: is to be asked
• प्रष्टव्यः: Kriyā (Obligatory action predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √पृच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (तव्यत्) भविष्यत्कर्तव्यता/अनिवार्यता (to be done), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; धातु: पृच्छ् (प्रश्ने) उपसर्ग: प्र

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (Place modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (locative adverb: here)

• पितामहः: Pitāmaha (Brahmā); the grandsire
• पितामहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual, within Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative king in royal court, head bowed, hands in añjali, resolving to consult Pitāmaha; attendants and a veiled princess in the background; a subtle celestial motif indicating Brahmaloka.

Characters & Entities

• pṛthivīpati (king)
• pitāmaha (Brahmā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When facing complex dharma, seek authoritative spiritual counsel and make decisions with inner resolve.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse moves toward Brahmaloka and divine consultation; a specific earthly tīrtha is not named here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it highlights consultation and discernment.