Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

यदाभीष्टं वरं तेन प्रार्थितस्त्रिपुरांतकः । तदैवं वचनं प्राह प्रणिपत्य मुहुर्मुहुः

Transliteration

yadābhīṣṭaṃ varaṃ tena prārthitastripurāṃtakaḥ | tadaivaṃ vacanaṃ prāha praṇipatya muhurmuhuḥ

Translation

அவன் விரும்பிய வரத்தை வேண்டி திரிபுராந்தகன் (சிவன்) முன் விண்ணப்பித்தபோது, மீண்டும் மீண்டும் வணங்கி இவ்வாறு சொன்னான்।

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: Avyaya (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय (temporal conjunction)

• अभीष्टम्: desired
• अभीष्टम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभीष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग द्वितीया एकवचन; adjective qualifying ‘वरम्’

• वरम्: boon
• वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; Accusative singular

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Kartr-karana (Agent in passive/कर्तृ-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुं/नपुं तृतीया एकवचन; Instrumental singular (agent in passive)

• प्रार्थितः: was requested
• प्रार्थितः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+अर्थ् (धातु) → प्रार्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त/PPP); पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन; passive participle agreeing with ‘त्रिपुरान्तकः’

• त्रिपुरान्तकः: Tripurāntaka (Śiva, destroyer of Tripura)
• त्रिपुरान्तकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिपुर + अन्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; समासः—त्रिपुरस्य अन्तकः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Avyaya (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (manner adverb)

• वचनम्: words, statement
• वचनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; Accusative singular

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+अह्/ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्ष/Perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन; ‘said/spoke’

• प्रणिपत्य: having bowed down
• प्रणिपत्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र+नि+पत् (धातु) → प्रणिपत्य (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund); prior action

• मुहुः: again and again
• मुहुः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (repetition)

• मुहुः: repeatedly
• मुहुः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति (reduplication for emphasis)

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta implied) continuing the account

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee kneels and repeatedly prostrates before Tripurāntaka-Śiva; Śiva stands or sits serene, trident and crescent visible, granting audience; the atmosphere is charged with sacred authority.

Characters & Entities

• Tripurāntaka (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Humility and repeated reverence (praṇipāta) are presented as proper conduct when seeking divine grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is identified in this verse; it introduces a boon-related sub-narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, respectful prostration and supplication are shown, but no formal vrata or rite is prescribed here.