Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

सर्वान्मूर्तान्समाहूय ततः प्रोवाच सादरम् । स्वयमेव सहस्राक्षो रहस्ये द्विजसत्तमाः

Transliteration

sarvānmūrtānsamāhūya tataḥ provāca sādaram | svayameva sahasrākṣo rahasye dvijasattamāḥ

Translation

ആ മూర్తിമാന ശക്തികളെയെല്ലാം വിളിച്ചു കൂട്ടിയ ശേഷം, സഹസ്രാക്ഷൻ സ്വയം—ഹേ ദ്വിജശ്രേഷ്ഠന്മാരേ—രഹസ്യമായി അവരോട് ആദരത്തോടെ സംസാരിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (मूर्तान्)

• मूर्तान्: embodied forms/beings
• मूर्तान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (पाठानुसारं), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन

• समाहूय: having summoned
• समाहूय: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-आ-√ह्वे/√हू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकाले कृत्य (having summoned/called together)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम (then)

• प्रोवाच: said/spoke
• प्रोवाच: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परिपूर्णभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सादरम्: respectfully
• सादरम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स-आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (with respect/earnestly)

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta (Emphatic to subject)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मार्थक (oneself)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Kriya-vishesana (Emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (indeed)

• सहस्राक्षः: Sahasrākṣa (Indra)
• सहस्राक्षः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र-अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; सहस्र + अक्ष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः

• रहस्ये: in secret/privately
• रहस्ये: Adhikarana (Location/Context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रहस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• द्विजसत्तमाः: O best of the twice-born (brahmins)
• द्विजसत्तमाः: Sambodhana (Addressed)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज-सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; द्विज + सत्तम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (सम्बोधनार्थे/श्रोत्रृ), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (द्विजानां सत्तमाः)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced from immediate narrative frame; explicit in 14.1)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija-sattamāḥ (best of twice-born) addressed within the narration

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra (Sahasrākṣa) gathers the embodied vices in a secluded chamber and addresses them with formal respect; the secrecy is shown by closed doors, dim lamps, and attentive figures.

Characters & Entities

• Sahasrākṣa (Indra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even divine politics and hidden counsels are portrayed as secondary to the inevitable glory of a true tīrtha; obstacles arise but are ultimately overcome by dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Acaleśvara-kṣetra in the Camatkārapura setting (Nāgara Khaṇḍa, Tīrthamāhātmya).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this is narrative description of secret instruction.