Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

ततः प्रोवाच सत्यार्थं विभीषणकृते हितम् । तं चापि शोकसंतप्तं संबोध्य रघुनंदनः

Transliteration

tataḥ provāca satyārthaṃ vibhīṣaṇakṛte hitam | taṃ cāpi śokasaṃtaptaṃ saṃbodhya raghunaṃdanaḥ

Translation

پھر رَغھو وَنش کے نندن نے وِبھیشَن کے بھلے کے لیے سچّی باتیں کہیں؛ اور جو غم سے جل رہا تھا، اسے بھی سمجھا کر تسلّی دی۔

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then, thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषणम्/सम्बन्धबोधकः) = indeclinable adverb: "thereupon/then"

• provāca: said, spoke
• provāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra+vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपदम्), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; √वच् = "to speak"; perfect: "he said"

• satyārtham: true purport/meaning
• satyārtham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya+artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (अर्थः सत्यः यस्य/सत्यस्य अर्थः) = "true meaning/purport"

• vibhīṣaṇa-kṛte: for Vibhīṣaṇa
• vibhīṣaṇa-kṛte: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhīṣaṇa+kṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (विभीषणस्य कृते) = "for Vibhīṣaṇa"

• hitam: beneficial, wholesome
• hitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hita (प्रातिपदिक; √dhā हित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् satyārtham इत्यस्य = "beneficial"

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम = "him"

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधकः) = conjunction "and"

• api: also, even
• api: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (सम्भावना/अपि-शब्दः) = particle "also/even"

• śoka-saṃtaptam: afflicted by grief
• śoka-saṃtaptam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śoka+saṃtapta (प्रातिपदिक; √tap क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (शोकेन संतप्तः) = "tormented by grief"; विशेषणम् tam इत्यस्य

• saṃbodhya: having addressed, having consoled
• saṃbodhya: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṃ+budh (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययभावः) = gerund/absolutive: "having addressed/comforted"

• raghu-naṃdanaḥ: Raghu’s descendant (Rāma)
• raghu-naṃdanaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raghu+naṃdana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (रघोः नन्दनः) = "descendant/son of Raghu"

Speaker

Narrator (implied; Rāma is the one who speaks within the narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāghava (Rāma) speaks calmly to grief-stricken Vibhīṣaṇa, offering truthful, beneficial counsel; attendants stand respectfully, atmosphere of solemn reassurance.

Characters & Entities

• Raghunandana (Rāma)
• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Śoka (grief)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The highest speech is both true and beneficial (satya + hita), and compassion consoles those burdened by sorrow.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse continues the Laṅkā-centered sacred narrative emphasizing dharmic counsel.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is mentioned.