Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

पितामहो यथा विष्णोः कीटस्थाने व्यवस्थितः । तथा स शिवशक्तिभ्यां पीरज्ञेयो द्विजो त्तमाः

Transliteration

pitāmaho yathā viṣṇoḥ kīṭasthāne vyavasthitaḥ | tathā sa śivaśaktibhyāṃ pīrajñeyo dvijo ttamāḥ

Translation

ଯେପରି ପିତାମହ ବ୍ରହ୍ମା ବିଷ୍ଣୁଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତି କୀଟସ୍ଥାନରେ ଅଛନ୍ତି, ସେପରି ହେ ଦ୍ୱିଜୋତ୍ତମ, ଶିବ-ଶକ୍ତିଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତି ମଧ୍ୟ ସେ କୀଟବତ୍ ଜ୍ଞେୟ।

Word by Word

• पितामहः: Pitāmaha (Brahmā/grandsire)
• पितामहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: तुलना-अव्यय

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• कीटस्थाने: in the place/state of insects
• कीटस्थाने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीट-स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• व्यवस्थितः: situated
• व्यवस्थितः: Karta (Predicative to subject/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-अव-स्था (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Correlative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: तुलना-अव्यय

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शिवशक्तिभ्याम्: by/with Śiva and Śakti
• शिवशक्तिभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (शक्ति) + पुंलिङ्ग (शिव) समाहार-द्वन्द्व/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व; तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), द्विवचन

• पीरज्ञेयः: to be known (reading uncertain)
• पीरज्ञेयः: Karta (Predicative adjective/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीर-ज्ञेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पीरः इव/पीरस्य? + ज्ञेयः) — पाठदोष/दुर्लभ-रूप; अर्थतः ‘ज्ञेयः’ (to be known)

• द्विजोत्तमाः: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजोत्तमाः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज-उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (8th/Vocative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (द्विजानाम् उत्तमाः)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijottama

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teaching scene where the cosmic triad is shown in diminishing scale: Viṣṇu and Brahmā smaller, while Śiva with Śakti appears as the encompassing, luminous center—half-male half-female or paired forms.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Pitāmaha)
• Viṣṇu
• Śiva
• Śakti
• Dvija

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It frames a theological hierarchy to direct the listener toward the supreme principle associated with Śiva-Śakti and toward liberating knowledge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha is not named within this verse alone, though it belongs to a Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated here; the verse functions as doctrinal instruction.