Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 142

Devanagari script

तेऽभिवन्द्य यथान्यायं देवदेवं महेश्वरम् । उपाविष्टाः पुरस्तस्य कथाश्चक्रुः पृथग्विधाः

Transliteration

te'bhivandya yathānyāyaṃ devadevaṃ maheśvaram | upāviṣṭāḥ purastasya kathāścakruḥ pṛthagvidhāḥ

Translation

तेऽभिवन्द्य यथान्यायं देवदेवं महेश्वरम् । उपाविष्टाः पुरस्तस्य कथाः चक्रुः पृथग्विधाः ॥

Word by Word

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• abhivandya: having saluted
• abhivandya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhivand (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), उपसर्ग: अभि-; ‘having saluted’

• yathānyāyam: according to proper rule
• yathānyāyam: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā-nyāya (प्रातिपदिक: yathā + nyāya)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• devadevam: the God of gods
• devadevam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva-deva (प्रातिपदिक: deva + deva)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• maheśvaram: Mahēśvara (Great Lord)
• maheśvaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśvara (प्रातिपदिक: mahā + īśvara)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; devadevam इत्यस्य विशेषण/अप्पोज़िशन

• upāviṣṭāḥ: (they) sat down
• upāviṣṭāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-√viś (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अर्थ: ‘seated’

• purastasya: in front
• purastasya: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purastāt (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place); ‘in front’

• kathāḥ: stories/talks
• kathāḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kathā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• cakruḥ: they did/made (they spoke)
• cakruḥ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• pṛthagvidhāḥ: of various kinds
• pṛthagvidhāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pṛthag-vidha (प्रातिपदिक: pṛthak + vidha)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (kathāḥ इत्यस्य)

Speaker

An unnamed man (narrating the devotees’ approach to Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A temple hall before a Śiva-liṅga or seated Maheśvara icon; ascetics and devotees bow with folded hands, then sit in semicircles, beginning varied sacred conversations; lamps flicker, incense rises.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Proper reverence (maryādā) before the deity and dharmic conversation (kathā) are integral to tīrtha merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse highlights a Śiva-centered sacred venue where devotees sit before Maheśvara; the exact tīrtha is determined by the adhyāya’s setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Duly bowing according to rule (yathānyāya) and sitting for sacred discourse are implied devotional practices.