Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

ततो मन्त्रप्रभावं तं विज्ञाय परमेश्वरः । ध्यानं धृत्वा सुसूक्ष्मेण ज्ञानेनाथ स्वयं ततः

Transliteration

tato mantraprabhāvaṃ taṃ vijñāya parameśvaraḥ | dhyānaṃ dhṛtvā susūkṣmeṇa jñānenātha svayaṃ tataḥ

Translation

അപ്പോൾ പരമേശ്വരൻ ആ മന്ത്രത്തിന്റെ പ്രഭാവം അറിഞ്ഞ് ഗാഢധ്യാനത്തിൽ ലീനനായി, അതിസൂക്ഷ്മമായ ആത്മജ്ഞാനത്തോടെ സ്വയം മുന്നോട്ട് നീങ്ങി.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, तदर्थ-क्रम/अनन्तर (then/thereupon)

• mantra-prabhāvam: the power of the mantra
• mantra-prabhāvam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक) + prabhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मन्त्रस्य प्रभावः)

• tam: that
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular pronoun)

• vijñāya: having understood
• vijñāya: Sambandha (पूर्वक्रिया/Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-jñā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (having known)

• parameśvaraḥ: Parameśvara (Śiva)
• parameśvaraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parameśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• dhyānam: meditation
• dhyānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhyāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• dhṛtvā: having taken up
• dhṛtvā: Sambandha (पूर्वक्रिया/Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (having held/assumed)

• su-sūkṣmeṇa: with (a) very subtle (means)
• su-sūkṣmeṇa: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + sūkṣma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (very subtle)

• jñānena: by knowledge
• jñānena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, आरम्भ/अनन्तरार्थ (then/now)

• svayam: himself
• svayam: Sambandha (Emphatic/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, स्वार्थ (oneself)

• tataḥ: thereupon
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, तदनन्तर (thereupon)

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator (contextual narration within Nāgarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Parameśvara becomes still, eyes half-closed, aura tightening into a subtle radiance; the world quiets as he recognizes the mantra’s power and enters deep meditation.

Characters & Entities

• Parameśvara (Śiva)
• mantra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Mantra bears transformative power when joined with subtle knowledge and concentrated meditation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within a Tīrthamāhātmya (pilgrimage-glory) chapter of the Nāgarakhaṇḍa, though this line itself highlights mantra-efficacy rather than naming the site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dhyāna (meditative absorption) grounded in mantra-awareness; an implied practice of mantra-japa leading into contemplation.