Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 98

Devanagari script

अथोवाच चतुर्वक्त्रो दृष्ट्वा शक्रं तथाविधम् । समस्तान्देवसंघातान्दूरस्थः पापशंकया

Transliteration

athovāca caturvaktro dṛṣṭvā śakraṃ tathāvidham | samastāndevasaṃghātāndūrasthaḥ pāpaśaṃkayā

Translation

അപ്പോൾ ചതുര്മുഖനായ ബ്രഹ്മാവ് ശക്രനെ അത്തരത്തിലുള്ള അവസ്ഥയിൽ കണ്ടു, പാപസംക്രമണഭയത്താൽ ദൂരത്ത് നിന്നുകൊണ്ട്, സമസ്ത ദേവസംഘത്തോടും പറഞ്ഞു।

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (particle)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• चतुर्वक्त्रः: the four-faced one (Brahmā)
• चतुर्वक्त्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि समास (‘यस्य चत्वारि वक्त्राणि सः’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• शक्रम्: Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तथाविधम्: of such a kind/condition
• तथाविधम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तथा (अव्यय) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (‘तथा विधः’); पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समस्तान्: all
• समस्तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• देवसङ्घातान्: assemblies/groups of gods
• देवसङ्घातान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + सङ्घात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• दूरस्थः: standing far away
• दूरस्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दूर (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पापशङ्कया: out of fear of sin
• पापशङ्कया: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + शङ्का (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (हेतु/करण), एकवचन

Speaker

Brahmā (Caturvaktra)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā (four-faced) stands or sits slightly apart, addressing a clustered host of devas; Indra is visible in the background cave, while a clear gap marks the boundary of contamination.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Caturvaktra)
• Śakra (Indra)
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes safeguarding oneself from impurity while guiding the fallen toward proper expiation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; the tīrtha-māhātmya framework suggests an impending instruction about a purifying sacred place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed yet; the verse establishes the principle of caution regarding pāpa (sin).