Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

सर्वान्मूर्तान्समाहूय ततः प्रोवाच सादरम् । स्वयमेव सहस्राक्षो रहस्ये द्विजसत्तमाः

Transliteration

sarvānmūrtānsamāhūya tataḥ provāca sādaram | svayameva sahasrākṣo rahasye dvijasattamāḥ

Translation

Setelah menghimpunkan semua yang berwujud itu, Sahasrākṣa (Indra) sendiri lalu bertitah kepada mereka dengan penuh hormat, secara rahsia—wahai yang terbaik antara kaum dwija.

Word by Word

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (मूर्तान्)

• मूर्तान्: embodied forms/beings
• मूर्तान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (पाठानुसारं), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन

• समाहूय: having summoned
• समाहूय: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-आ-√ह्वे/√हू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकाले कृत्य (having summoned/called together)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम (then)

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

• सादरम्: respectfully
• सादरम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स-आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (with respect/earnestly)

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta (Emphatic to subject)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मार्थक (oneself)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Kriya-vishesana (Emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (indeed)

• सहस्राक्षः: Sahasrākṣa (Indra)
• सहस्राक्षः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र-अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; सहस्र + अक्ष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः

• रहस्ये: in secret/privately
• रहस्ये: Adhikarana (Location/Context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रहस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• द्विजसत्तमाः: O best of the twice-born (brahmins)
• द्विजसत्तमाः: Sambodhana (Addressed)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज-सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; द्विज + सत्तम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (सम्बोधनार्थे/श्रोत्रृ), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (द्विजानां सत्तमाः)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced from immediate narrative frame; explicit in 14.1)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija-sattamāḥ (best of twice-born) addressed within the narration

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra (Sahasrākṣa) gathers the embodied vices in a secluded chamber and addresses them with formal respect; the secrecy is shown by closed doors, dim lamps, and attentive figures.

Characters & Entities

• Sahasrākṣa (Indra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even divine politics and hidden counsels are portrayed as secondary to the inevitable glory of a true tīrtha; obstacles arise but are ultimately overcome by dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Acaleśvara-kṣetra in the Camatkārapura setting (Nāgara Khaṇḍa, Tīrthamāhātmya).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this is narrative description of secret instruction.