Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

अथ दृष्ट्वा महत्तेजो वैष्णवं दूरतोऽपि तम् । ब्राह्मणं गरुडः प्राह नारदश्च मुनीश्वरः

Transliteration

atha dṛṣṭvā mahattejo vaiṣṇavaṃ dūrato'pi tam | brāhmaṇaṃ garuḍaḥ prāha nāradaśca munīśvaraḥ

Translation

پھر دور ہی سے اُس عظیم ویشنوئی نور کو دیکھ کر گڑوڑ نے برہمن سے کہا؛ اور مونیوں کے سردار نارد نے بھی کلام فرمایا۔

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमसूचक

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): 'having seen'

• महत्-तेजः: great radiance/splendor
• महत्-तेजः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महत् तेजः)

• वैष्णवम्: Vishnu-related/divine (of Vishnu)
• वैष्णवम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (belonging to Vishnu)

• दूरतः: from a distance
• दूरतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दूरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (from afar)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (even)

• तम्: that/him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ब्राह्मणम्: the brahmin
• ब्राह्मणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• प्राह: said/spoke
• प्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आह्/अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नारदः: Narada
• नारदः: Karta (Co-subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• मुनि-ईश्वरः: lord of sages
• मुनि-ईश्वरः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (मुनीनां ईश्वरः)

Speaker

Narrator (introducing Garuḍa and Nārada addressing a brāhmaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (Jalaśāyī/Janārdana radiance)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Implied audience within the Purāṇic dialogue frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: From a distance, a vast Vaiṣṇava radiance shines; Garuḍa and Nārada react and begin to speak, poised at the threshold of revelation.

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa
• Nārada
• Vaiṣṇava tejas (radiance of Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divinity is recognized by its tejas (spiritual radiance); reverence includes knowing one’s limits before overwhelming holiness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The scene is at the water-tīrtha of Janārdana; the exact site-name is contextual within Adhyāya 80.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No; it prepares for guidance on proper approach to the radiant presence.