Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

तं दृष्ट्वा पार्थिवः सोऽथ विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनः । पश्चात्तापं विधायाथ वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह

Transliteration

taṃ dṛṣṭvā pārthivaḥ so'tha vismayotphullalocanaḥ | paścāttāpaṃ vidhāyātha vākyametaduvāca ha

Translation

तं दृष्ट्वा पार्थिवोऽथ विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनः । पश्चात्तापं समापन्नो वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह ॥

Word by Word

• तम्: him/that (pillar)
• तम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — ‘him/that’

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त) — ‘having seen’

• पार्थिवः: the king
• पार्थिवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārthiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — ‘king’

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

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/अनन्तरार्थक) — ‘then’

• विस्मय-उत्फुल्ल-लोचनः: with eyes widened in amazement
• विस्मय-उत्फुल्ल-लोचनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vismaya (प्रातिपदिक) + utphulla (कृदन्त; √फल्/√फुल् (धातु) + क्त, उपसर्ग उत्-) + locana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः — ‘whose eyes are widened with astonishment’

• पश्चात्तापम्: repentance
• पश्चात्तापम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paścāttāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• विधाय: having done
• विधाय: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त) उपसर्ग वि- — ‘having done/after performing’

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — ‘then’

• वाक्यम्: words/speech
• वाक्यम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; वाक्यम् इति विशेष्ये

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• ह: indeed (particle)
• ह: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात) — कथनप्रत्यय/पादपूरण

Speaker

Narrator (contextual narration within the Purāṇic dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king stands before the transformed pillar, eyes wide and moist with realization; his posture shifts from authority to humility as he prepares to speak to the sage.

Characters & Entities

• Pārthiva (King)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True dharma begins with inner transformation—wonder and remorse soften pride and prepare one for righteous action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within the Tīrthamāhātmya framework of the Nāgarakhaṇḍa, but this specific line does not name a distinct tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription here; it introduces a turning-point leading into a request connected with abhiṣeka in the subsequent verses.