Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

ततो बहुतिथे काले केशवेन पुरा स्मृतः । स्रष्टुकामेन विविधाः प्रजा मनसि राजसीः

Transliteration

tato bahutithe kāle keśavena purā smṛtaḥ | sraṣṭukāmena vividhāḥ prajā manasi rājasīḥ

Translation

经久远时后，古昔的凯沙瓦又忆念召唤我；当祂欲行创造之时，种种众生——为罗阇斯（rajas）所驱——便在祂心中生起。

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb)

• bahutithe: at a time of many days (after a long time)
• bahutithe: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu-tithi (प्रातिपदिक; बहु + तिथि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; kāle इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• kāle: in time
• kāle: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• keśavena: by Keśava
• keśavena: Kartr̥ (Agent in passive/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: keśava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• purā: formerly
• purā: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb of time)

• smṛtaḥ: was remembered
• smṛtaḥ: Kriya (Passive predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु) + ta (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे (passive participle)

• sraṣṭu: to create
• sraṣṭu: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sṛj (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive); स्रष्टु = to create

• kāmena: with the desire
• kāmena: Hetu (Cause/motive/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, एकवचन; स्रष्टुकामेन = sraṣṭu + kāmena (desirous of creating)

• vividhāḥ: various
• vividhāḥ: Sambandha (Qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vividha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; prajāḥ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• prajāḥ: creatures/subjects
• prajāḥ: Karma (Object intended/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• manasi: in (his) mind
• manasi: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन

• rājasīḥ: rajas-dominant
• rājasīḥ: Sambandha (Qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rājasī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; prajāḥ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (of rajas-nature)

Speaker

Brahmā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Keśava in yoganidrā transitioning to creative resolve; subtle emanation of diverse beings as luminous thought-forms within the divine mind; Brahmā attentive to the summons.

Characters & Entities

• Keśava (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cosmic creation proceeds from divine intention, with the guṇas (like rajas) shaping manifestation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is specified in this verse; it continues the doctrinal narrative within the Nāgara-khaṇḍa setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is explanatory cosmology.