Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

तथा चक्रुः कथाश्चित्रा देवदानवरक्षसाम् । राजर्षीणां पुराणानां ब्रह्मर्षीणां विशेषतः

Transliteration

tathā cakruḥ kathāścitrā devadānavarakṣasām | rājarṣīṇāṃ purāṇānāṃ brahmarṣīṇāṃ viśeṣataḥ

Translation

ତେବେ ସେମାନେ ଦେବ, ଦାନବ ଓ ରାକ୍ଷସମାନଙ୍କର, ରାଜର୍ଷିମାନଙ୍କର ଏବଂ ପୁରାଣମାନଙ୍କର—ବିଶେଷତଃ ବ୍ରହ୍ମର୍ଷିମାନଙ୍କର—ଆଶ୍ଚର୍ୟ୍ୟ କଥାମାନ କହିଲେ।

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, in that way
• तथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — adverb ‘thus/in that manner’

• चक्रुः: they did/made
• चक्रुः: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — Perfect, 3rd person plural

• कथाः: stories, narratives
• कथाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन — Feminine, nominative plural

• चित्राः: variegated, wonderful
• चित्राः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन — Feminine, nominative plural; विशेषण of ‘कथाः’

• देवदानवरक्षसाम्: of the gods, dānavas, and rākṣasas
• देवदानवरक्षसाम्: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + दानव (प्रातिपदिक) + रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-समाहारद्वन्द्व, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन — Genitive plural; ‘of gods, Dānavas, and Rākṣasas’

• राजर्षीणाम्: of royal sages
• राजर्षीणाम्: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन — Genitive plural; राज्ञः ऋषयः = rājarṣis

• पुराणानाम्: of the Purāṇas
• पुराणानाम्: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन — Neuter, genitive plural

• ब्रह्मर्षीणाम्: of brahmarṣis
• ब्रह्मर्षीणाम्: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन — Genitive plural; ब्रह्मणः ऋषयः = brahmarṣis

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — indeclinable adverb ‘especially’

Speaker

Sūta

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred assembly of sages and celestial beings exchanging vivid ancient narratives—devas, dānavas, rākṣasas, royal sages, and brahmarṣis—under a calm, ritual atmosphere.

Characters & Entities

• Deva
• Dānava
• Rākṣasa
• Rājarṣi
• Brahmarṣi
• Purāṇa (as lore)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic tradition preserves dharma through sacred narratives spanning divine, royal, and sage lineages.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned; it summarizes the kinds of narratives shared in the assembly.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it describes discourse and narration.