Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 103

Devanagari script

नन्दभद्र उवाच । नमस्तुभ्यमबालाय बालरूपाय धीमते । को भवांस्तत्त्वतो वेत्तुमिच्छामि त्वां शुचिस्मितम्

Transliteration

nandabhadra uvāca | namastubhyamabālāya bālarūpāya dhīmate | ko bhavāṃstattvato vettumicchāmi tvāṃ śucismitam

Translation

ନନ୍ଦଭଦ୍ର କହିଲେ—ଆପଣଙ୍କୁ ନମସ୍କାର! ଆପଣ ବାଳକ ନୁହନ୍ତି, ତଥାପି ବାଳରୂପ ଧାରଣ କରିଛନ୍ତି ଏବଂ ଧୀମାନ। ଆପଣ ତତ୍ତ୍ୱତଃ କିଏ? ହେ ଶୁଚିସ୍ମିତ, ମୁଁ ଆପଣଙ୍କୁ ଯଥାର୍ଥରେ ଜାଣିବାକୁ ଇଚ୍ଛା କରେ।

Word by Word

• nandabhadraḥ: Nandabhadra
• nandabhadraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nanda (प्रातिपदिक) + bhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम, कर्मधारय

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच्)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Prayojana (Salutation/नमस्कार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: नमः-प्रयोगः (indeclinable interjection of salutation)

• tubhyam: to you
• tubhyam: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• abālāya: to the non-child (not childish)
• abālāya: Viśeṣya-anvaya (Qualifier to 'you'/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-bāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; नञ्-समासपूर्वक विशेषण

• bālarūpāya: to one having a childlike form
• bālarūpāya: Viśeṣya-anvaya (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (बालस्य रूपम्) विशेषण

• dhīmate: to the wise
• dhīmate: Viśeṣya-anvaya (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhīmat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण

• kaḥ: who
• kaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• bhavān: you (honorific)
• bhavān: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; आदरार्थक सर्वनाम

• tattvataḥ: in truth
• tattvataḥ: Prakāra (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tattvatas (अव्यय)
• Form: तत्त्वतः-प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: truly/in reality)

• vettum: to know
• vettum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (विद्)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), कर्मप्रवचनीयार्थे (to know)

• icchāmi: I wish
• icchāmi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √iṣ (इष्)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• śucismitam: (you) of pure smile
• śucismitam: Viśeṣya-anvaya (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuci (प्रातिपदिक) + smita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (शुचि स्मितं यस्य) विशेषण

Speaker

Nandabhadra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Child-form wise being (identity queried)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nandabhadra bows to a radiant child-form figure whose eyes show deep wisdom; the moment is charged with wonder and respectful questioning.

Characters & Entities

• Nandabhadra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True wisdom may appear in unexpected forms; sincere inquiry into tattva (reality) is praised.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is named in this verse; it frames a dialogue within the chapter’s teaching context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse centers on reverence (namas) and the quest to know the truth.