Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

सोऽपि मंदं समागत्य सावित्रीं प्राह लीलया । युद्धप्रियोंऽतरं वांछन्सावित्र्या सह वेधसः

Transliteration

so'pi maṃdaṃ samāgatya sāvitrīṃ prāha līlayā | yuddhapriyoṃ'taraṃ vāṃchansāvitryā saha vedhasaḥ

Translation

അവനും മന്ദമായി അടുത്തുവന്ന് സാവിത്രിയോട് ലീലാഭാവത്തിൽ സംസാരിച്ചു; വേധസ് (ബ്രഹ്മാവ്) സഹിതം സാവിത്രിയെക്കുറിച്ച് യുദ്ധപ്രിയ മനോഭാവത്തിന് കലഹാവകാശം തേടിക്കൊണ്ട്।

Word by Word

• सः: he (Nārada)
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: also/even)

• मन्दम्: slowly, gently
• मन्दम्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण द्वितीया-एकवचन (adverbial accusative: ‘slowly/gently’)

• समागत्य: having come
• समागत्य: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + गम् (धातु) → समागत्य (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): ‘having come’

• सावित्रीम्: Sāvitrī
• सावित्रीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सावित्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह्/ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• लीलया: playfully
• लीलया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (in a playful manner)

• युद्धप्रियः: fond of battle
• युद्धप्रियः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युद्ध + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (युद्धस्य प्रियः)

• अन्तरम्: an opportunity/interval
• अन्तरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘अवसर/छिद्र’ अर्थे

• वाञ्छन्: desiring
• वाञ्छन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वाञ्छ् (धातु) → वाञ्छत् (शतृ)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘desiring’

• सावित्र्या: with Sāvitrī
• सावित्र्या: Sahakari (Associate/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सावित्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakari (Associate/सहकारी)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक-अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable: with)

• वेधसः: of Vedhas (Brahmā)
• वेधसः: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेधस् (प्रातिपदिक; ब्रह्मा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrative voice; context implies Sūta/compilation voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nārada approaches Sāvitrī with a gentle gait and a half-smile, speaking lightly; Sāvitrī stands poised, her expression shifting from calm to suspicion, foreshadowing conflict.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Sāvitrī
• Brahmā (Vedhas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even in sacred contexts, speech and intention matter—playful provocation can disturb dharmic harmony.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha is not specified in this verse; the line advances the surrounding māhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it narrates interpersonal dynamics around the yajña setting.