Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

ततः प्रोवाच सत्यार्थं विभीषणकृते हितम् । तं चापि शोकसंतप्तं संबोध्य रघुनंदनः

Transliteration

tataḥ provāca satyārthaṃ vibhīṣaṇakṛte hitam | taṃ cāpi śokasaṃtaptaṃ saṃbodhya raghunaṃdanaḥ

Translation

అనంతరం రఘునందనుడు విభీషణుని హితార్థమైన సత్యవచనములు పలికెను; శోకదగ్ధుడైన అతనిని బోధించి సాంత్వనపరచెను।

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then, thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषणम्/सम्बन्धबोधकः) = indeclinable adverb: "thereupon/then"

• provāca: said, spoke
• provāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra+vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपदम्), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; √वच् = "to speak"; perfect: "he said"

• satyārtham: true purport/meaning
• satyārtham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya+artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (अर्थः सत्यः यस्य/सत्यस्य अर्थः) = "true meaning/purport"

• vibhīṣaṇa-kṛte: for Vibhīṣaṇa
• vibhīṣaṇa-kṛte: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhīṣaṇa+kṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (विभीषणस्य कृते) = "for Vibhīṣaṇa"

• hitam: beneficial, wholesome
• hitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hita (प्रातिपदिक; √dhā हित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् satyārtham इत्यस्य = "beneficial"

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम = "him"

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधकः) = conjunction "and"

• api: also, even
• api: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (सम्भावना/अपि-शब्दः) = particle "also/even"

• śoka-saṃtaptam: afflicted by grief
• śoka-saṃtaptam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śoka+saṃtapta (प्रातिपदिक; √tap क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (शोकेन संतप्तः) = "tormented by grief"; विशेषणम् tam इत्यस्य

• saṃbodhya: having addressed, having consoled
• saṃbodhya: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṃ+budh (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययभावः) = gerund/absolutive: "having addressed/comforted"

• raghu-naṃdanaḥ: Raghu’s descendant (Rāma)
• raghu-naṃdanaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raghu+naṃdana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (रघोः नन्दनः) = "descendant/son of Raghu"

Speaker

Narrator (implied; Rāma is the one who speaks within the narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāghava (Rāma) speaks calmly to grief-stricken Vibhīṣaṇa, offering truthful, beneficial counsel; attendants stand respectfully, atmosphere of solemn reassurance.

Characters & Entities

• Raghunandana (Rāma)
• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Śoka (grief)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The highest speech is both true and beneficial (satya + hita), and compassion consoles those burdened by sorrow.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse continues the Laṅkā-centered sacred narrative emphasizing dharmic counsel.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is mentioned.