Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

शांतं दांतं समालोक्य विश्वस्तेन महात्मना । तस्य चांतःपुरे ह्यासीत्पिंगलानाम नायिका

Transliteration

śāṃtaṃ dāṃtaṃ samālokya viśvastena mahātmanā | tasya cāṃtaḥpure hyāsītpiṃgalānāma nāyikā

Translation

ശാന്തനും ദാന്തനും ആണെന്ന് കണ്ട ആ മഹാത്മരാജാവ് (എന്നിൽ) വിശ്വാസം വെച്ചു. അവന്റെ അന്തഃപുരത്തിൽ പിംഗലാ എന്ന പേരുള്ള ഒരു പ്രധാന നായികയും ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• शान्तम्: calm
• शान्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; 'अहम्/तम्' (अध्याहृत) इत्यस्य विशेषण

• दान्तम्: self-controlled
• दान्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दान्त (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; 'शान्तम्' इव समानाधिकरण

• समालोक्य: having observed
• समालोक्य: Sambandha (Gerundial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-आ-√लोक् (धातु) → समालोक्य (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय, अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having seen)

• विश्वस्तेन: by the trusting/confident
• विश्वस्तेन: Karana (Agent/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्वस्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; 'महात्मना' इत्यस्य विशेषण

• महात्मना: by the great-souled one
• महात्मना: Karana (Agent/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक; षष्ठी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अन्तःपुरे: in the inner palace
• अन्तःपुरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तःपुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); निश्चयार्थ (indeed)

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd); एकवचन

• पिङ्गला: Piṅgalā (name)
• पिङ्गला: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिङ्गला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha (Appositive marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामार्थक-निपात (called/named)

• नायिका: heroine/leading lady
• नायिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नायिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

Speaker

Atithi

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvijāḥ (implied continuation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king, seeing the attendant’s calm discipline, trusts him; within the inner palace stands Piṅgalā, the chief lady—poised, significant, and watchful.

Characters & Entities

• King of Ānarta (implied)
• Śānta-Dāṃta (as qualities/name)
• Piṅgalā
• Antaḥpura (inner palace)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Trust is bestowed on those known for peace and restraint; Purāṇic narratives often contrast such virtues with later temptations in palace life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse shifts into a courtly episode within the larger Tīrthamāhātmya chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.