Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

आत्मावलोकनार्थाय मया दृष्टाः सहस्रशः । योगिनो ज्ञानसंपन्नास्तैः प्रोक्तं च स्वशक्तितः

Transliteration

ātmāvalokanārthāya mayā dṛṣṭāḥ sahasraśaḥ | yogino jñānasaṃpannāstaiḥ proktaṃ ca svaśaktitaḥ

Translation

آتما کے براہِ راست دیدار کی طلب میں میں نے ہزاروں یوگیوں سے ملاقات کی، جو سچے گیان سے مالا مال تھے؛ اور ہر ایک نے اپنی اپنی سکت کے مطابق جو جانا تھا، وہی مجھے سکھایا۔

Word by Word

• आत्मावलोकनार्थाय: for the purpose of self-observation
• आत्मावलोकनार्थाय: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् + अवलोकन + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (आत्मनः अवलोकनस्य अर्थः)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• दृष्टाः: were seen
• दृष्टाः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; √दृश्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

• सहस्रशः: by the thousand
• सहस्रशः: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/आवृत्तिवाचक (in thousands; repeatedly)

• योगिनः: yogins
• योगिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन

• ज्ञानसंपन्नाः: endowed with knowledge
• ज्ञानसंपन्नाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञान + संपन्न (प्रातिपदिक; √पद्/√पन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (ज्ञानेन संपन्नाः); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• प्रोक्तम्: was said/taught
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + उक्त (प्रातिपदिक; √वच्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; उपसर्गः प्र-

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

• स्वशक्तितः: according to (their) own ability
• स्वशक्तितः: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्व + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; पञ्चमी-अर्थे अव्यय (according to/from one’s own power)

Speaker

Narrator (a seeker within the Tīrthamāhātmya narrative; exact speaker not specified in the snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-seeker moving from hermitage to hermitage, meeting numerous yogins—some meditating, some teaching with hand-gestures, some studying śāstra—each offering a distinct instruction.

Characters & Entities

• yogin

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Self-realization may require seeking guidance widely, yet teachings differ according to each teacher’s capacity; discernment and perseverance are essential.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within a Tīrthamāhātmya context, but this particular line emphasizes the seeker’s quest rather than naming a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed here; the focus is on seeking instruction from realized yogins.