Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

ततस्ते मुनयो भीता असत्यात्तात तत्क्षणात् । समादाय ययुस्तत्र यत्र ब्रह्मा व्यवस्थितः

Transliteration

tataste munayo bhītā asatyāttāta tatkṣaṇāt | samādāya yayustatra yatra brahmā vyavasthitaḥ

Translation

ତାପରେ, ହେ ପିତା, ଅସତ୍ୟ ହେବାର ଭୟରେ ସେ ମୁନିମାନେ ସେହି କ୍ଷଣେ ଭୀତ ହୋଇ, ଯେଉଁଠାରେ ବ୍ରହ୍ମା ବିରାଜିତ ଥିଲେ ସେଠାକୁ ଯାତ୍ରା କଲେ।

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Sambandha (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, तस्मात्/अनन्तरम् अर्थे (from then/thereupon)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• मुनयः: sages
• मुनयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• भीताः: frightened
• भीताः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भी (धातु) + भीत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• असत्यात्: because of untruth/falsehood
• असत्यात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• तात: O dear (son)
• तात: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्क्षणात्: immediately, at that moment
• तत्क्षणात्: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययवत् (immediately)

• समादाय: having taken (with them)
• समादाय: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• ययुः: went
• ययुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Sambandha (Relative connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, सम्बन्धबोधक (relative adverb: where)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• व्यवस्थितः: was situated/present
• व्यवस्थितः: Kriya (State/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-अव-स्था (धातु) + व्यवस्थित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; स्थित्यर्थे—‘was stationed/was present’

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Brahmā-sannidhi (unspecified)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: his father

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sages, alarmed, gather their waterpots and staffs and depart swiftly in a group toward Brahmā’s abode—depicted as a luminous lotus-seat or a radiant celestial court—driven by urgency to protect truth.

Characters & Entities

• sages (munis)
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Satya is paramount; the wise act quickly to prevent untruth and seek higher guidance to uphold dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it transitions the story toward Brahmā’s realm/presence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it narrates the sages’ immediate journey motivated by commitment to truth.