Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

तत्र कृत्वा रतं चित्रं परकांतसमं तदा । पश्यति स्म ततो रुद्रं ब्रह्ममस्तकसंस्थितम्

Transliteration

tatra kṛtvā rataṃ citraṃ parakāṃtasamaṃ tadā | paśyati sma tato rudraṃ brahmamastakasaṃsthitam

Translation

അവിടെ പരകാന്തനോടു തുല്യമായൊരു വിചിത്ര രതിക്രിയ നടത്തി, പിന്നെ അവൾ ബ്രഹ്മന്റെ മസ്തകത്തിൽ സ്ഥിതനായ രുദ്രനെ ദർശിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: there)

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), ‘having made/done’

• रतम्: a figure/image (as made)
• रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• चित्रम्: wonderful; variegated
• चित्रम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• परकान्तसमम्: equal to another's beloved
• परकान्तसमम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर + कान्त + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (परकान्तस्य समम् = equal to another's beloved)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: then)

• पश्यति: he sees
• पश्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• स्म: (indeed/then; past narrative marker)
• स्म: Sambandha (Narrative particle/स्म)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: भूतार्थ-स्मरणार्थक-अव्यय (particle used with present to indicate past narration)

• ततः: thereupon; from there
• ततः: Apadana/Sequence (Source/sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अपादान/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (from there/thereupon)

• रुद्रम्: Rudra
• रुद्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ब्रह्ममस्तकसंस्थितम्: situated on Brahmā's head
• ब्रह्ममस्तकसंस्थितम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + मस्तक + सं + स्था (धातु) → संस्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘ब्रह्मणः मस्तके संस्थितम्’ (situated on Brahmā's head)

Speaker

Vaiśvānara (Agni), inferred from context

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Rudraśīrṣa precinct (implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija (brāhmaṇa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A woman, having engaged in a transgressive erotic act, suddenly beholds Rudra manifest in association with Brahmā’s head-mark; the moment is charged with shock, remorse, and awe.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra (Śiva)
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Darśana of Rudra is portrayed as a turning point that redirects a fallen episode toward recognition of sacred power and eventual purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Rudraśīrṣa-related āyatana where Rudra is perceived in connection with Brahmā’s head.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse implies darśana (seeing the deity) as spiritually significant; explicit rites follow in subsequent verses.