Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

देवास्तस्या भयान्नष्टा मर्त्येषु प्रतिमां गताः । भक्तानां मानसं भावं पूरयन्तः सुसंस्थिताः

Transliteration

devāstasyā bhayānnaṣṭā martyeṣu pratimāṃ gatāḥ | bhaktānāṃ mānasaṃ bhāvaṃ pūrayantaḥ susaṃsthitāḥ

Translation

ด้วยความหวาดเกรงนาง เหล่าเทวะจึงอันตรธานแล้วเสด็จเข้าสถิตในรูปเคารพท่ามกลางมนุษย์ ครั้นตั้งมั่นอยู่ ณ ที่นั้น ก็ทรงบันดาลให้ความปรารถนาในดวงใจของภักตะสำเร็จ

Word by Word

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भयात्: from fear
• भयात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान/Ablative), एकवचन

• नष्टाः: vanished/disappeared
• नष्टाः: Kartṛ-visheshana (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नश् (धातु) → नष्ट (कृदन्त, क्त/PPP)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘नष्ट’ = विनष्ट/अदृश्यभूत

• मर्त्येषु: among mortals
• मर्त्येषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण/Locative), बहुवचन

• प्रतिमाम्: an image/form
• प्रतिमाम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गताः: having gone (assumed)
• गताः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त, क्त/PPP)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (having gone)

• भक्तानाम्: of devotees
• भक्तानाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक; भज् धातु → भक्त, क्त/PPP)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• मानसम्: mental
• मानसम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘मानसं भावम्’ इत्यत्र विशेषण

• भावम्: feeling/intention
• भावम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पूरयन्तः: fulfilling
• पूरयन्तः: Kartṛ-kriya-visheshana (Concomitant action/सहक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूरय् (धातु; पूर्/पॄ + णिच्) → पूरयन्त् (वर्तमान कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकर्तरि कृदन्त (present active participle)

• सुसंस्थिताः: well-established/firmly situated
• सुसंस्थिताः: Kartṛ-visheshana (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + संस्थित (प्रातिपदिक; स्था धातु → स्थित, उपसर्गसमास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘सु’ उपसर्ग/उपपदेन विशेषित

Speaker

Narrator (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred precinct where frightened devas ‘enter’ consecrated images among mortals; devotees stand with folded hands as the mūrtis radiate presence, suggesting the gods are firmly established and granting boons.

Characters & Entities

• Deva
• Pratimā (icon/image)
• Bhakta (devotee)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine presence becomes stable and approachable through sacred forms, responding to sincere devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in the verse; it broadly supports tīrtha/temple devotion within the chapter’s māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicit endorsement of pratimā worship: approaching the deity in icon-form with devotion so that one’s inner prayer is fulfilled.