Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

एतेषां चेष्टितं दृष्ट्वा ज्ञानं मे समुपस्थितम्

Transliteration

eteṣāṃ ceṣṭitaṃ dṛṣṭvā jñānaṃ me samupasthitam

Translation

एतेषां चेष्टितं दृष्ट्वा ज्ञानं मे समुपस्थितं, मम हृदि प्रकाशतामगात्।

Word by Word

• एतेषाम्: of these
• एतेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural), सर्वनाम-शब्द (Pronoun)

• चेष्टितम्: conduct, behavior
• चेष्टितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेष्टित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √चेष्ट् (धातु) + क्त (PPP))
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle used nominally)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• मे: my / to me
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन (Genitive/Dative Singular; enclitic form)

• समुपस्थितम्: has arisen / has presented itself
• समुपस्थितम्: Karta-predicative (Predicate adjective/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+उप+स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √स्था (धातु) + क्त (PPP))
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP)

Speaker

Atithi (continuing his reply)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A reflective seeker watches a small group of austere brāhmaṇas; the seeker’s face shows dawning insight, with a subtle halo-like glow suggesting inner knowledge arising.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Wisdom can dawn through attentive observation—seeing the consequences of actions in others becomes a mirror for one’s own awakening.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse emphasizes learning through observation rather than a formal rite.