Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य तत्परीक्षार्थमेव सा । शक्राणीरूपमास्थाय ततः सन्दर्शनं गता

Transliteration

kasyacittvatha kālasya tatparīkṣārthameva sā | śakrāṇīrūpamāsthāya tataḥ sandarśanaṃ gatā

Translation

ତାପରେ ଏକ ସମୟରେ, କେବଳ ତାହାକୁ ପରୀକ୍ଷା କରିବା ପାଇଁ, ସେ ଶକ୍ରାଣୀ (ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରାଣୀ) ରୂପ ଧାରଣ କରି ତାହାର ସମ୍ମୁଖେ ଦର୍ଶନ ଦେବାକୁ ଗଲା।

Word by Word

• kasya: of some
• kasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; अनिर्दिष्टसम्बन्ध

• cit: some / certain
• cit: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cit (अव्यय)
• Form: अनिश्चितार्थक निपात (indefinite particle)

• tu: indeed / then
• tu: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयबोधक निपात (but/indeed)

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक अव्यय (then/now)

• kālasya: of time
• kālasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध—‘कस्यचित्’ इत्यनेन विशेषित

• tatparīkṣārtham: for the purpose of testing that
• tatparīkṣārtham: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + parīkṣā (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थक (purpose)

• eva: only / indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphasis)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता

• śakrāṇīrūpam: the form of Śakrāṇī (Indrāṇī)
• śakrāṇīrūpam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakrāṇī (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म—‘आस्थाय’

• āsthāya: having assumed
• āsthāya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā-√sthā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• tataḥ: then / thereafter
• tataḥ: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: ततः—अपादान/क्रमवाचक अव्यय (thereupon/from there)

• sandarśanam: a meeting / appearance
• sandarśanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sandarśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गत्यर्थक्रियायां कर्म—‘गता’

• gatā: went
• gatā: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु) + gata (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘सा’ इत्यस्य विधेय (predicate)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) speaking to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Goddess, to test the ascetic, takes the radiant form of Śakrāṇī (Indrāṇī): regal attire, celestial ornaments, and a luminous aura, arriving before the weathered yet steadfast maiden in her simple ascetic garb.

Characters & Entities

• Śakrāṇī (Indrāṇī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The divine may test the devotee’s resolve; spiritual maturity is proven through steadfastness under examination.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is narrative and does not name the tīrtha; it serves the māhātmya’s devotional storyline.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse introduces a parīkṣā (test) via the Goddess assuming a different form.