Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

ततोऽहं विनयोपेतस्तस्य कृत्यानि कृत्स्नशः । करोमि स च मे रात्रौ चित्राः कीर्तयते कथाः

Transliteration

tato'haṃ vinayopetastasya kṛtyāni kṛtsnaśaḥ | karomi sa ca me rātrau citrāḥ kīrtayate kathāḥ

Translation

แล้วข้าผู้ประกอบด้วยความนอบน้อม ได้ทำกิจทั้งปวงของท่านอย่างครบถ้วน และยามราตรีท่านก็บอกเล่าเรื่องราวอัศจรรย์แก่ข้า

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/काल-अव्यय (from then/thereafter)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• विनयोपेतः: endowed with humility
• विनयोपेतः: Kartṛ-visheshana (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनय + उपेत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past participle of उप+इ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—विनयेन उपेतः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• कृत्यानि: duties/tasks
• कृत्यानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• कृत्स्नशः: completely
• कृत्स्नशः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृत्स्नशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार-अव्यय (entirely, in full)

• करोमि: I do
• करोमि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

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

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

• मे: to me/my
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• चित्राः: wonderful/varied
• चित्राः: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन; कथाः-विशेषण

• कीर्तयते: recounts/narrates
• कीर्तयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कीर्तय् (धातु, णिजन्त)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• कथाः: stories
• कथाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Implied audience; within the recollection, the listener is Lomaharṣaṇa himself receiving Vatsa’s kathā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: After a day of service, the humble attendant sits near the teacher at night; lamplight and firelight illuminate faces as wondrous stories are told.

Characters & Entities

• Lomaharṣaṇa
• Vatsa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Humble service becomes a doorway to sacred knowledge; through śuśrūṣā one becomes fit to receive purāṇic kathā.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse indicates tīrtha-related storytelling but does not name a site; it frames how māhātmya is transmitted.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite; it highlights disciplined service and listening to kathā as a devotional practice.