Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

त्वत्तःपरतरं किचिद्यत्त्वं ध्यायसि चेतसा । तन्मे कथय देवेश यद्यहं दयिता तव

Transliteration

tvattaḥparataraṃ kicidyattvaṃ dhyāyasi cetasā | tanme kathaya deveśa yadyahaṃ dayitā tava

Translation

നീ മനസ്സിൽ നിന്നേക്കാൾ പരമായ ഏതെങ്കിലും ഉന്നത തത്ത്വം ധ്യാനിക്കുന്നുവെങ്കിൽ, ഹേ ദേവേശാ, എനിക്ക് പറയുക—ഞാൻ സത്യത്തിൽ നിനക്കു പ്രിയയാണെങ്കിൽ।

Word by Word

• त्वत्तः: than you / from you
• त्वत्तः: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; ‘from you/than you’ (ablative of comparison)

• परतरम्: higher, superior
• परतरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paratara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तरप्-प्रत्यय (comparative) ‘higher/superior’ (qualifying किंचित्)

• किंचित्: something
• किंचित्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + cid (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘something’

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun) referring to किंचित्

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ध्यायसि: meditate upon
• ध्यायसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhyai (ध्यै धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; ‘you meditate/think’

• चेतसा: with (your) mind
• चेतसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करणम् ‘with the mind’

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘that’ (object of कथय)

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; ‘to me/for me’

• कथय: tell
• कथय: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kath (कथ् धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; ‘tell’

• देवेश: O Lord of gods
• देवेश: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deveśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8th), एकवचन; ‘O lord of gods’

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त-सूचक अव्यय (conditional conjunction) = ‘if’

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• दयिता: beloved
• दयिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dayitā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘beloved (female)’

• तव: of you
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; ‘of you/your’

Speaker

Pārvatī

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee leans forward in respectful closeness, asking the Lord to disclose the object of His meditation; the Lord remains composed, suggesting imminent revelation.

Characters & Entities

• Pārvatī
• Śiva (Deveśa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True devotion seeks clarity about the highest object of contemplation, not merely outer ritual.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

This verse does not name a specific tīrtha; it contributes to the chapter’s māhātmya discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dhyāna (meditation) is explicitly referenced; it is framed alongside japa in the surrounding verses.