Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

तत्तादृशमथालोक्य नन्दी विस्मयमागतः । चिन्तयामास मनसा सर्वं तेषां निरीक्ष्य च

Transliteration

tattādṛśamathālokya nandī vismayamāgataḥ | cintayāmāsa manasā sarvaṃ teṣāṃ nirīkṣya ca

Translation

അവർ അങ്ങനെ പ്രവർത്തിക്കുന്നതു കണ്ട നന്ദി വിസ്മയത്തിലായി. അവരുടെ എല്ലാ പ്രവർത്തനങ്ങളും നിരീക്ഷിച്ച് അവൻ മനസ്സിൽ ആഴമായി ചിന്തിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying तादृशम्)

• तादृशम्: such a thing/state
• तादृशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तादृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भ-बोधक (particle: then/now)

• आलोक्य: having seen
• आलोक्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-लोक् (धातु) → आलोक्य (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): ‘having seen’

• नन्दी: Nandin
• नन्दी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विस्मयम्: wonder, astonishment
• विस्मयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आगतः: having come to (i.e., having attained)
• आगतः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु) → आगत (कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), नन्दी-विशेषणम्

• चिन्तयामास: thought, reflected
• चिन्तयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• मनसा: with the mind
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• निरीक्ष्य: having observed
• निरीक्ष्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि-ईक्ष् (धातु) → निरीक्ष्य (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): ‘having observed’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic voice within Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Pāśupateśvara-liṅga precinct)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nandī, the bull-bannered lord’s attendant, stands slightly apart in a sacred precinct, watching ascetics’ actions with widened eyes and a contemplative brow, hands relaxed yet poised, as if weighing dharma in silence.

Characters & Entities

• Nandin
• tapasvin-gaṇa (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Witnessing sincere practice inspires inner reflection; wonder (vismaya) becomes a doorway to understanding sacred action and dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, whose living devotional culture evokes awe even in Nandin.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None newly prescribed; the verse highlights observation (nirīkṣaṇa) and contemplation (cintana) prompted by ongoing rites.