Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

एवं वियति ते सर्वे स्पर्द्धमानाः परस्परम् । दृश्यंते द्विगुणीभूता जनविभ्रमकारकाः

Transliteration

evaṃ viyati te sarve sparddhamānāḥ parasparam | dṛśyaṃte dviguṇībhūtā janavibhramakārakāḥ

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ ആകാശത്തിൽ അവർ എല്ലാവരും പരസ്പരം മത്സരിക്കുന്നവരെന്നപോലെ ഇരട്ടിയായി ദൃശ്യമായി, ജനങ്ങളെ ഭ്രമത്തിലാഴ്ത്തി.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीति/प्रकार-अव्यय (thus)

• वियति: in the sky
• वियति: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वियत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); सर्वनाम

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• स्पर्द्धमानाः: competing, vying
• स्पर्द्धमानाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्पर्ध् (धातु) + शानच् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present participle, Ātmanepada sense)

• परस्परम्: mutually, with one another
• परस्परम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परस्पर (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोग (reciprocal adverb)

• दृश्यन्ते: are seen, appear
• दृश्यन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural); आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense: ‘are seen’)

• द्विगुणीभूताः: having become doubled
• द्विगुणीभूताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्विगुणी (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (कृदन्त; भू धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘द्विगुणी-भू’ = become doubled

• जनविभ्रमकारकाः: causing confusion among people
• जनविभ्रमकारकाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक) + विभ्रम (प्रातिपदिक) + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); जनस्य विभ्रमस्य कारकाः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Sūta (contextual continuation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A doubled sky where twin sets of luminaries seem to ‘compete’; below, crowds look upward in confusion—some praying, some pointing, some fleeing—capturing social bewilderment under a surreal firmament.

Characters & Entities

• Celestial bodies (implied)
• People (jana)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Extraordinary displays are not always auspicious; dharma values clarity and stability over rivalry that confuses society.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse supports the tīrtha’s fame by recounting visible marvels connected to it, but the site-name is not stated here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.