Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

ततस्तस्य प्रणामं स कृत्वा ब्राह्मणसत्तमः । व्रीडयाऽधोमुखो भूत्वा ततः प्रोवाच सादरम्

Transliteration

tatastasya praṇāmaṃ sa kṛtvā brāhmaṇasattamaḥ | vrīḍayā'dhomukho bhūtvā tataḥ provāca sādaram

Translation

แล้วพราหมณ์ผู้ประเสริฐนั้นก็นอบน้อมคำนับท่าน ด้วยความละอายอ่อนน้อมจึงก้มหน้า แล้วกล่าวด้วยความเคารพ

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kala-krama (Sequence/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तर्य-बोधक (then)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रणामम्: salutation
• प्रणामम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कृत्वा: having made (offered)
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), 'having done/made'

• ब्राह्मणसत्तमः: the best of brāhmaṇas
• ब्राह्मणसत्तमः: Karta (Apposition/समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (ब्राह्मणानां सत्तमः = best among brāhmaṇas)

• व्रीडया: with shame/modesty
• व्रीडया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रीडा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अधोमुखः: down-faced
• अधोमुखः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधस् + मुख (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (अधः मुखं यस्य/अधोमुखः = down-faced)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), 'having become'

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kala-krama (Sequence/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तर्य-बोधक

• प्रोवाच: said forth
• प्रोवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-उच्/वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• सादरम्: respectfully
• सादरम्: Riti (Manner/रीति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स + आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव/क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-द्वितीया एकवचनवत् (adverbial accusative: 'respectfully')

Speaker

Narrator (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The eminent brāhmaṇa bows; his head lowered in modest shame, he prepares to speak respectfully, signaling a turning point from tension to reconciliation.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Humility and respectful speech are marks of dharma, especially when seeking resolution of past actions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader passage belongs to the Tīrthamāhātmya of the Nāgarakhaṇḍa, but this verse itself does not name a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Praṇāma (obeisance) is shown as a dharmic act, though no formal ritual is detailed.