Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

प्रणम्य शिरसा देवं वागीशं प्रोचुरादरात् । देवदेव महाविष्णुं कथयस्व प्रसादतः

Transliteration

praṇamya śirasā devaṃ vāgīśaṃ procurādarāt | devadeva mahāviṣṇuṃ kathayasva prasādataḥ

Translation

ครั้นก้มเศียรนอบน้อมถวายบังคมแล้ว เหล่าเทพกล่าวแก่พระวาคีศะด้วยความเคารพว่า ‘ข้าแต่เทวเทพ ด้วยพระกรุณา โปรดตรัสบอกเรื่องมหาวิษณุแก่พวกข้าพระองค์เถิด’

Word by Word

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund): 'having bowed'

• शिरसा: with (their) head
• शिरसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• वागीशम्: Vāgīśa (lord of speech)
• वागीशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक् (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वाचः ईशः = lord of speech)

• प्रोचुः: they said, spoke
• प्रोचुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• आदरात्: out of respect
• आदरात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; हेतौ/कारणे (out of respect)

• देवदेव: O God of gods
• देवदेव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (देवानां देवः)

• महाविष्णुम्: Mahāviṣṇu
• महाविष्णुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā (प्रातिपदिक) + विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• कथयस्व: tell (us)
• कथयस्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कथ् (धातु) (णिच्)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; causative: 'tell/declare'

• प्रसादतः: by (your) grace
• प्रसादतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; हेतौ/कारणे (by grace/through favor)

Speaker

Vyāsa (narration; devas speaking within the narrative)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas with folded hands and bowed heads before Vāgīśa (Bṛhaspati), who sits serene, holding a manuscript or rosary; the atmosphere is reverent and quiet.

Characters & Entities

• Vāgīśa
• Mahāviṣṇu
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Knowledge of the Divine is sought through humility and grace, approaching a wise guide with reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; it is a supplication scene, not a tīrtha-description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A gesture of reverence (praṇāma—bowing) is shown, but no formal ritual is prescribed.