Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

स तु दृष्ट्वा महादेवं जलस्थं व्रतधारिणम् । कामजैरिंगितैर्युक्तं तत्राऽसौ विस्मयान्वितः

Transliteration

sa tu dṛṣṭvā mahādevaṃ jalasthaṃ vratadhāriṇam | kāmajairiṃgitairyuktaṃ tatrā'sau vismayānvitaḥ

Translation

那罗陀见大自在天立于水中，持守誓戒，却显出由欲念所生的种种神态，于彼处不禁大为惊异。

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Nominative singular (he)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोधार्थक-अव्यय

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकाल — Having seen

• महादेवम्: Mahādeva (Śiva)
• महादेवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (महान् देवः) — Accusative singular

• जल-स्थम्: standing in water
• जल-स्थम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (कृदन्त; स्था धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (जले स्थितः) — Accusative singular (standing in water)

• व्रत-धारिणम्: observing a vow
• व्रत-धारिणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + धारिन् (कृदन्त; धृ धातु, णिनि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (व्रतं धारयति) — Accusative singular (vow-observing)

• काम-जैः: by desire-born
• काम-जैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (कामात् जातः) — Instrumental plural (born of desire)

• इंगितैः: with gestures
• इंगितैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इंगित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Instrumental plural (by gestures/signs)

• युक्तम्: endowed with
• युक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) ; युक्त (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Accusative singular (endowed/connected)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (there)

• असौ: that one (he)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Nominative singular (that person/he)

• विस्मय-अन्वितः: filled with astonishment
• विस्मय-अन्वितः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्मय (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (कृदन्त; अनु+इ धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (विस्मयेन अन्वितः) — Nominative singular (filled with astonishment)

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda kunda where Śiva held ‘vrata’ and invoked Gaṅgā

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A king (rājendra)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nārada beholds Śiva in the water, outwardly a strict vrata-holder, yet with subtle gestures and expressions betraying desire; Nārada’s face shows astonishment—half reverence, half surprise.

Characters & Entities

• Mahādeva (Śiva)
• Nārada

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It highlights the tension between external observance and inner movement of mind—prompting discernment rather than mere judgment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The local waters of the Arbuda narrative space are presented as the stage for Śiva’s vow, implying sanctifying power of that setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Observing a vrata while remaining in water is implied as an austerity-like practice.