Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

अथ तस्मिन्कथांते स गरुडः पुरुषोत्तमम् । प्रोवाच तां स्त्रियं दृष्ट्वा वृद्धां तेजःसमन्विताम्

Transliteration

atha tasminkathāṃte sa garuḍaḥ puruṣottamam | provāca tāṃ striyaṃ dṛṣṭvā vṛddhāṃ tejaḥsamanvitām

Translation

ครั้นเมื่อบทสนทนานั้นสิ้นสุดลงแล้ว ครุฑได้กราบทูลต่อปุรุโษตตมะ ผู้เป็นบุรุษสูงสุด ครั้นเห็นสตรีชราผู้ยังเปล่งรัศมี จึงกล่าวถึงนางนั้น

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (sequence/then)

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे (contextual), सप्तमी विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कथान्ते: at the end of the story
• कथान्ते: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कथायाः अन्तः); पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• गरुडः: Garuḍa
• गरुडः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुरुषोत्तमम्: to Puruṣottama (the Supreme Person)
• पुरुषोत्तमम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (उत्तमः पुरुषः); पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रोवाच: said/spoke
• प्रोवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ताम्: that (woman)
• ताम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• स्त्रियम्: woman
• स्त्रियम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having seen)

• वृद्धाम्: aged/old
• वृद्धाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying स्त्रियम्)

• तेजःसमन्विताम्: endowed with radiance
• तेजःसमन्विताम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तेजस् + सम् + अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक; अन्वि/इ धातु-निष्पन्न)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तेजसा समन्विता); स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying स्त्रियम्)

Speaker

Narrator (reporting Garuḍa’s speech to Puruṣottama)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and other ṛṣis (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A divine riverside/kshetra setting: Puruṣottama seated in calm majesty, Garuḍa nearby; an aged yet radiant woman stands at the Lord’s side, her aura subtly illuminating the scene as the conversation turns toward her identity.

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa
• Puruṣottama (Viṣṇu)
• strī (woman)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual radiance (tejas) can abide even in old age; the wise recognize inner splendor and inquire into its cause and dharmic meaning.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named in this verse; it sets up further explanation within the chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it introduces a dialogue prompted by observing a radiant woman.