Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

सविशेषमहाबुद्धिः स्वामिकार्यप्रसिद्धये । अथ तं चाधकः प्राह प्रविहस्य महाबलः

Transliteration

saviśeṣamahābuddhiḥ svāmikāryaprasiddhaye | atha taṃ cādhakaḥ prāha pravihasya mahābalaḥ

Translation

ทูตนั้นมีปัญญายิ่งนัก กระทำเพื่อให้กิจของนายสำเร็จ ครั้นแล้วอธกะผู้มีกำลังมหาศาลก็หัวเราะลั่นและกล่าวแก่เขา

Word by Word

• सविशेषमहाबुद्धिः: one of exceptionally great intellect
• सविशेषमहाबुद्धिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स-विशेष + महा + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः = ‘विशेषेण महती बुद्धिः यस्य सः’

• स्वामिकार्यप्रसिद्धये: for the accomplishment/public success of the master’s task
• स्वामिकार्यप्रसिद्धये: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वामि + कार्य + प्रसिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन), एकवचनम्; ‘स्वामि-कार्य-प्रसिद्धि’ = स्वामिनः कार्यस्य प्रसिद्धिः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-श्रृङ्खला)

• अथ: then; now
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अनन्तर/आरम्भबोधकः)

• तम्: to him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक-निपातः)

• अधकः: Andhaka
• अधकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्धक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; पाठे ‘अधकः’ = ‘अन्धकः’ (लोप/भ्रंश)

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आह्/अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• प्रविहस्य: having laughed
• प्रविहस्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वि-हस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-प्रायः ल्यबन्त/तुमुन्-रहितः; ‘प्रविहस्य’ = ‘प्रहस्य/हसित्वा’ (absolutive sense)

• महाबलः: mighty; of great strength
• महाबलः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; ‘महान् बलः यस्य’/‘महाबलः’—अधकः इति विशेषणम्

Speaker

Adhaka

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The intelligent messenger, intent on fulfilling his lord’s purpose, stands firm; Andhaka, powerful and confident, responds with loud laughter, dismissing the warning.

Characters & Entities

• Adhaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even in sacred narratives, speech and intent reveal dharma: a messenger’s duty is faithful execution, while arrogance begins with mocking laughter.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The wider Adhyāya context points toward the Kāśī/Vārāṇasī–Kailāsa sacred axis within the Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it is narrative setup introducing Adhaka’s response.