Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तेषां ब्राह्मणानां महात्मनाम् । स वैलक्ष्यस्मितं प्राह सलज्जं पृथिवीपतिः

Transliteration

tacchrutvā vacanaṃ teṣāṃ brāhmaṇānāṃ mahātmanām | sa vailakṣyasmitaṃ prāha salajjaṃ pṛthivīpatiḥ

Translation

ସେହି ମହାତ୍ମା ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣମାନଙ୍କର ବଚନ ଶୁଣି ପୃଥିବୀପତି ଲଜ୍ଜାକ୍ରାନ୍ତ ହୋଇ, ସଂକୋଚମିଶ୍ରିତ ହସ ସହିତ ଉତ୍ତର କହିଲେ।

Word by Word

• tat: that (it)
• tat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having heard)

• vacanam: speech, words
• vacanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• brāhmaṇānām: of the Brahmins
• brāhmaṇānām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• mahātmanām: of the great-souled
• mahātmanām: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; विशेषण; समासः महा + आत्मन् (महान् आत्मा)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• vailakṣya-smitam: an embarrassed smile
• vailakṣya-smitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vailakṣya (प्रातिपदिक) + smita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः (षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष) वेलक्ष्यस्य स्मितम्

• prāha: said
• prāha: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• salajjam: modestly, with shyness
• salajjam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + lajja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषण; अव्ययीभावः स + लज्जा = सलज्जम् (with modesty)

• pṛthivīpatiḥ: the king (lord of the earth)
• pṛthivīpatiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛthivī (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः पृथिव्याः पतिः

Speaker

Narrator (contextual, within the ongoing dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king, lord of the earth, smiles awkwardly—eyes lowered—while the brāhmaṇas watch; the atmosphere is respectful but tense, as if a secret is about to surface.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Pṛthivīpati (king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Humility before dharma is a virtue; when corrected by the learned, one should respond without arrogance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This narrative verse does not name a site; it supports the tīrtha-māhātmya storyline through character and moral tone.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it transitions to the king’s explanation of the reason behind the unusual offering.