Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

प्रोवाच च प्रहृष्टात्मा कस्मात्त्वमिह चागता । मां मुक्त्वा दोषनिर्मुक्तं मुखप्रेक्षं सदा रतम्

Transliteration

provāca ca prahṛṣṭātmā kasmāttvamiha cāgatā | māṃ muktvā doṣanirmuktaṃ mukhaprekṣaṃ sadā ratam

Translation

ด้วยใจเปรมปรีดิ์ เขากล่าวว่า: “เหตุใดเจ้าจึงมาที่นี่ เลิ้งข้า—ผู้ปราศจากโทษ—ผู้รื่นรมย์อยู่เสมอในการเพ่งมองพระพักตร์ของเจ้า?”

Word by Word

• प्रोवाच: (he) said
• प्रोवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्गः प्र-

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• प्रहृष्टात्मा: the delighted-souled one
• प्रहृष्टात्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रहृष्ट (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (प्रहृष्टः आत्मा यस्य)

• कस्मात्: from what (cause) / why
• कस्मात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सर्वनाम), पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; हेतौ/कारणे (from what cause)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• आगता: (you) have come
• आगता: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु) → आगत (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपसर्गः आ-; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘आगता’ = ‘(you) have come’

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• मुक्त्वा: having left/abandoned
• मुक्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• दोषनिर्मुक्तम्: freed from faults
• दोषनिर्मुक्तम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक) + नि: + मुच् (धातु) → निर्मुक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (दोषेभ्यः निर्मुक्तः)

• मुखप्रेक्षम्: face-gazing / looking at (your) face
• मुखप्रेक्षम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रेक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; √ईक्ष्/प्रेक्ष्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मुखं प्रेक्षते इति/मुखं प्रेक्ष्य)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• रतम्: devoted/engaged
• रतम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम् (धातु) → रत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘रत’ = आसक्त/निरत (engaged, devoted)

Speaker

Śiva (Bhava)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva, radiant and pleased, addresses Devī with affectionate reproach, emphasizing his constant delight in beholding her face; the setting hints at a sacred landscape with ascetic grandeur.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Bhava)
• Pārvatī (implied addressee)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse frames divine relationship as intimate devotion, where presence and remembrance (darśana) are central to sacred life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This dialogue occurs within a Tīrthamāhātmya chapter, but the site is not explicitly named in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it is narrative dialogue setting up a dharmic/ritual resolution in subsequent verses.