Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

उवाच नारदोऽभ्येत्य शंभोर्वाक्यमथादरात् । ब्रह्मवीणां वाद्यवीणां वाद्यमानः सर्वज्ञ ऋषिसत्तमः

Transliteration

uvāca nārado'bhyetya śaṃbhorvākyamathādarāt | brahmavīṇāṃ vādyavīṇāṃ vādyamānaḥ sarvajña ṛṣisattamaḥ

Translation

แล้วนารทเข้าไปใกล้ กล่าวถ้อยคำของพระศัมภูด้วยความเคารพ; พลางบรรเลงวีณาทิพย์—พรหมวีณาและวีณาดนตรี—ผู้รู้ทั่ว ผู้ประเสริฐในหมู่นักพรตฤๅษี

Word by Word

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अभ्येत्य: having approached
• अभ्येत्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अभि-इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया

• शंभोः: of Śambhu
• शंभोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वाक्यम्: statement; message
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (particle: then/now)

• आदरात्: out of respect
• आदरात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (cause)

• ब्रह्मवीणाम्: the Brahmā’s vīṇā
• ब्रह्मवीणाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म + वीणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणः वीणा)

• वाद्यवीणाम्: the playable vīṇā (instrument)
• वाद्यवीणाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाद्य + वीणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (वाद्या वीणा)

• वाद्यमानः: being played (playing)
• वाद्यमानः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाद् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि-प्रयोगे शानच्/मान-प्रत्ययान्त (Present passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'नारदः' विशेषण

• सर्वज्ञः: all-knowing
• सर्वज्ञः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (सर्वं जानाति)

• ऋषिसत्तमः: best of sages
• ऋषिसत्तमः: Karta (Subject-apposition/कर्तृसमानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (ऋषीणां सत्तमः)

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa tradition, implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nārada approaches Viṣṇu, playing the brahma-vīṇā; his posture shows reverence as he begins to convey Śiva’s words.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Śiva (Śambhu)
• Viṣṇu (implied listener)
• Vīṇā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion may be expressed through reverent speech and sacred music while serving divine purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The passage belongs to Kedārakhaṇḍa, connected to Kedāra tīrtha, though the scene is set in Vaikuṇṭha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal ritual; it highlights devotional praise and respectful delivery of a divine message.