Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

अथाब्रवीत्प्रहस्योच्चैस्त्रिनेत्रश्चतुराननम् । अत्यद्भुततमां श्रुत्वा तां वार्तां यमसंभवाम्

Transliteration

athābravītprahasyoccaistrinetraścaturānanam | atyadbhutatamāṃ śrutvā tāṃ vārtāṃ yamasaṃbhavām

Translation

அப்போது திரிநேத்திரப் பெருமான் உரக்கச் சிரித்தவாறே சதுர்முகப் பிரம்மனை நோக்கி கூறினார்—யமனிடமிருந்து வந்த அந்த மிக அதிசயச் செய்தியை கேட்டபின்।

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/thereupon)

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• प्रहस्य: having laughed
• प्रहस्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रहस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); ‘हसित्वा’ (having laughed)

• उच्चैः: aloud
• उच्चैः: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उच्चैः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• त्रिनेत्रः: the three-eyed one (Śiva)
• त्रिनेत्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘त्रीणि नेत्राणि यस्य’ इति (three-eyed)

• चतुराननम्: the four-faced one (Brahmā)
• चतुराननम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + आनन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘चत्वारि आननानि यस्य’ (four-faced)

• अत्यद्भुततमाम्: most astonishing
• अत्यद्भुततमाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक) + तमप् (तद्धित/सुपरलटिव)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; अतिशयेन अद्भुततम (most wondrous)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); ‘श्रवणं कृत्वा’ (having heard)

• ताम्: that
• ताम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• वार्ताम्: account/news
• वार्ताम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• यमसंभवाम्: originating from Yama
• यमसंभवाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक) + संभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘यमात् सम्भवा’ (arising from Yama)

Speaker

Narrator (introducing Śiva’s speech)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In a celestial assembly, Śiva (three-eyed) laughs aloud after hearing an astonishing report delivered from Yama’s sphere; Brahmā (four-faced) listens attentively as the narrative turns toward dharma and destiny.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Trinetra)
• Brahmā (Caturānana)
• Yama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine events around tīrtha-mahima can overturn expectations; the highest deities respond with insight beyond ordinary fear.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse frames a dialogue in Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya (Adhyāya 95); the specific site is not named in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative transition into Śiva’s explanation.