Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

अथाऽसौ लज्जयाविष्टः प्रणिपत्य महेश्वरम् । प्रोवाच च स्तुतिं कृत्वा क्षम्यतां क्षम्यतामिति

Transliteration

athā'sau lajjayāviṣṭaḥ praṇipatya maheśvaram | provāca ca stutiṃ kṛtvā kṣamyatāṃ kṣamyatāmiti

Translation

പിന്നീട് ലജ്ജയാൽ ആവിഷ്ടനായി അവൻ മഹേശ്വരനെ സാഷ്ടാംഗം നമസ്കരിച്ചു; സ്തുതി ചെയ്ത്—“ക്ഷമിക്കണമേ, ക്ഷമിക്കണമേ” എന്നു പറഞ്ഞു।

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अनन्तर/प्रारम्भार्थे)

• असौ: he
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• लज्जया: by/with shame
• लज्जया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लज्जा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• आविष्टः: overcome/possessed
• आविष्टः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-विश् (धातु) + आविष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• प्रणिपत्य: having bowed down
• प्रणिपत्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र-नि-पत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• महेश्वरम्: Mahēśvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (महान् ईश्वरः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• प्रोवाच: said/spoke
• प्रोवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• स्तुतिम्: praise/hymn
• स्तुतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having done/made
• कृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• क्षम्यताम्: may (I) be forgiven / please forgive
• क्षम्यताम्: Prārthanā (प्रार्थना)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे 'let it be forgiven/please forgive'

• क्षम्यताम्: forgive, forgive
• क्षम्यताम्: Prārthanā (प्रार्थना)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; पुनरुक्ति (emphasis)

• इति: thus
• इति: Vākyānta (वाक्यसमाप्ति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उक्त्यर्थे/quotation marker)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā, overwhelmed by shame, falls prostrate before Maheśvara; hands folded, he offers a hymn and repeatedly begs forgiveness while devas look on.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Śiva (Maheśvara)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Repentance is completed through surrender, praise, and seeking forgiveness from the divine.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The episode is part of the Mahātmya that establishes the sanctifying power associated with Rudraśiraḥ.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prostration (praṇipāta) and stuti (hymn of praise) are shown as devotional acts supporting atonement.