Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

अहं कमलजस्तत्र जातः पुत्रश्चतुर्मुखः । उदरं नाभिनालेन प्रविश्याथ व्यलोकयम्

Transliteration

ahaṃ kamalajastatra jātaḥ putraścaturmukhaḥ | udaraṃ nābhinālena praviśyātha vyalokayam

Translation

وہیں میں کنول سے پیدا ہونے والا، چار چہروں والا فرزند بن کر پیدا ہوا؛ پھر ناف کی نالی کے راستے اندر داخل ہو کر میں نے اندرونی عالم کو دیکھا۔

Word by Word

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kamalajaḥ: the lotus-born (Brahmā)
• kamalajaḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kamala-ja (प्रातिपदिक; कमल + ज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; कमलात् जायते इति (born from the lotus)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• jātaḥ: was born
• jātaḥ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु) + ta (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; भावे/कर्मणि प्रयोगः (having been born)

• putraḥ: son
• putraḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• caturmukhaḥ: four-faced
• caturmukhaḥ: Sambandha (Qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur-mukha (प्रातिपदिक; चतुर् + मुख)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः = whose faces are four

• udaram: the belly/abdomen
• udaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• nābhinālena: by the navel-stalk
• nābhinālena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nābhi-nāla (प्रातिपदिक; नाभि + नाल)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• praviśya: having entered
• praviśya: Kriya (Prior action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-viś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having entered)

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• vyalokayam: I looked/observed
• vyalokayam: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-ā-lok (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past); उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Padmanābha-nābhi (mythic)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā, four-faced, newly born on the lotus, descends/enters the hollow lotus-stalk toward the navel of Viṣṇu, peering into a luminous cosmic interior.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the creator seeks understanding; inquiry and vision precede ordered creation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is part of a cosmological exposition within the broader māhātmya frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.