Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

पितॄंस्तान्विनयोपेतान्प्रणिपातपुरःसरान् । विधिः प्रोवाच राजेंद्र सांत्वयञ्श्लक्ष्णया गिरा

Transliteration

pitṝṃstānvinayopetānpraṇipātapuraḥsarān | vidhiḥ provāca rājeṃdra sāṃtvayañślakṣṇayā girā

Translation

ข้าแต่พระราชา ครั้นวิธี (พระพรหมา)ทอดพระเนตรเหล่าปิตฤผู้เปี่ยมด้วยความนอบน้อม และมีการกราบลงเป็นเบื้องหน้า พระองค์จึงตรัสปลอบโยนด้วยถ้อยคำอ่อนโยน

Word by Word

• पितॄन्: the Pitṛs/ancestors
• पितॄन्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• तान्: those
• तान्: कर्म (appositional)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; पितॄन् इत्यस्य विशेषण/अन्वयः

• विनय-उपेतान्: endowed with humility
• विनय-उपेतान्: कर्म (object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनय (प्रातिपदिक) + उपेत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (विनयेन उपेताः)

• प्रणिपात-पुरःसरान्: preceded by prostration (having bowed first)
• प्रणिपात-पुरःसरान्: कर्म (object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रणिपात (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरःसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (प्रणिपातः पुरः यस्य/प्रणिपातं पुरः कृत्वा)

• विधिः: Brahmā (Vidhi)
• विधिः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ब्रह्मा-पर्यायः

• प्रोवाच: said/spoke
• प्रोवाच: क्रिया (main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (Vocative), एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (राजा एव इन्द्रः)

• सान्त्वयन्: comforting/conciliating
• सान्त्वयन्: कर्ता (subject-qualifier; manner)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√त्वि/त्वय्? (धातु) → सान्त्वयत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्तः (शतृ/Present active participle), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गे; विधिः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• श्लक्ष्णया: with gentle
• श्लक्ष्णया: करण (Instrument/means)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्लक्ष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (गिरा इति)

• गिरा: speech/words
• गिरा: करण (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिर्/गिरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Narrator (addressing a king—rājendra—within the frame dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vidhisadana (Brahmaloka)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājendra (explicitly addressed: ‘rājendra’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā addresses the prostrating Pitṛs with a calm, reassuring gesture; the Pitṛs remain bowed, their faces softened by relief as order is restored.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Vidhī)
• Pitṛs

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Humility invites guidance; compassionate speech from authority restores balance and clarifies dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific earthly tīrtha is named in this verse; it is a narrative transition to Brahmā’s instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it emphasizes proper demeanor—praṇipāta and respectful approach.