Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

निरीहस्यापि देवेंद्र कौतुकं नो व्यवस्थितम्

Transliteration

nirīhasyāpi deveṃdra kautukaṃ no vyavasthitam

Translation

Ôi Đế Thích, chúa tể chư thiên, ngay cả đối với bậc vô dục, mục đích Ngài hiện đến đây vẫn chưa rõ đối với chúng tôi.

Word by Word

• निरीहस्य: of the desireless/indifferent one
• निरीहस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरीह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन — Genitive Singular; विशेषण-प्रयोगः

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) — concessive/emphatic

• देवेन्द्र: O Indra, lord of gods
• देवेन्द्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन — Vocative Singular; (देव + इन्द्र) तत्पुरुष

• कौतुकम्: curiosity/wonder
• कौतुकम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौतुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/प्रथमा or 2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — Nom./Acc. Singular

• नः: of us/our
• नः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन — Genitive Plural (enclitic)

• व्यवस्थितम्: is settled/established
• व्यवस्थितम्: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + अव + स्था (धातु) → व्यवस्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — agreeing with ‘कौतुकम्’

Speaker

Brāhmaṇas/Ṛṣis (addressing Indra), as narrated by Viśvāmitra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of austere brāhmaṇas, calm and radiant, question Indra about his unclear purpose; Indra stands with subdued splendor, suggesting a hidden mission tied to a sacred site.

Characters & Entities

• Devendra (Indra)
• Brāhmaṇas/Ṛṣis

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when a visitor is exalted, sages inquire with discernment; humility and clarity are both dharmic.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The hermitage-tīrtha context in the Himālaya, where divine visits become occasions for dharmic dialogue.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is an inquiry that prepares for the explanation of Indra’s purpose.