Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा देवानां चतुराननः । उवाच सुचिरं ध्यात्वा ज्ञात्वा दिव्येन चक्षुषा

Transliteration

teṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā devānāṃ caturānanaḥ | uvāca suciraṃ dhyātvā jñātvā divyena cakṣuṣā

Translation

Nang marinig ang mga salita ng mga diyos, nagsalita ang Apat-na-Mukha (Brahmā)—pagkaraang magnilay sa mahabang panahon at makita ang bagay sa banal na paningin.

Word by Word

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• tad: that
• tad: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (demonstrative)

• vacanam: speech, statement
• vacanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• devānām: of the gods
• devānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• catur-ānanaḥ: the four-faced one (Brahmā)
• catur-ānanaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + ānana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); बहुव्रीहिः: ‘चत्वारि आननानि यस्य सः’

• uvāca: said, spoke
• uvāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्

• suciram: for a long time
• suciram: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sucira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverbial accusative used as adverb)

• dhyātvā: having meditated
• dhyātvā: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √dhyai (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• jñātvā: having known, having ascertained
• jñātvā: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √jñā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• divyena: divine
• divyena: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter) / पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• cakṣuṣā: with (his) eye/vision
• cakṣuṣā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakṣus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Narrator (introducing Brahmā’s reply)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā closes his eyes in deep meditation; a subtle aura of ‘divine sight’ opens as light radiates from his brow/eyes, while devas wait in respectful silence.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Caturānana)
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right guidance arises from contemplation and higher discernment, not haste—an ethical model for dharmic decision-making.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not yet specified; this is the transition into Brahmā’s explanation that leads to Mahādeva’s location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; ‘dhyāna’ is depicted as a method of discernment rather than a formal rite.