Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

प्राप्नोति परमां पूजां विशेषान्नागरैः कृताम् । धारानामेति विख्याता भक्तलोकसुख प्रदा

Transliteration

prāpnoti paramāṃ pūjāṃ viśeṣānnāgaraiḥ kṛtām | dhārānāmeti vikhyātā bhaktalokasukha pradā

Translation

تنال أسمى مراتب العبادة، ولا سيّما ما يقدّمه الناجارا من تكريم. وهي مشهورة باسم «دارا» (Dhārā)، واهبة السعادة لجماعة العابدين المخلصين.

Word by Word

• prāpnoti: attains/receives
• prāpnoti: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-āp (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमानकाल/Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• paramām: supreme
• paramām: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (पूजाम्-विशेषण)

• pūjām: worship
• pūjām: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• viśeṣāt: especially
• viśeṣāt: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (कारण/विशेषार्थ) = ‘especially’

• nāgaraiḥ: by townspeople/citizens
• nāgaraiḥ: Karaṇa/Agent (Doer)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāgara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• kṛtām: performed
• kṛtām: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (पूजाम्-विशेषण)

• dhārā-nāma: the name ‘Dhārā’
• dhārā-nāma: Karta (Subject of eti)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhārā (प्रातिपदिक) + nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष) = धारायाः नाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (नाम-शब्दः)

• eti: goes/comes; is called
• eti: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: i (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• vikhyātā: well-known
• vikhyātā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-khyā (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (सा/देवी implied)

• bhakta-loka-sukha-pradā: giver of happiness to the world of devotees
• bhakta-loka-sukha-pradā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhakta (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक) + sukha (प्रातिपदिक) + pradā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (बहुपद-तत्पुरुष) = भक्तानां लोकस्य सुखं प्रददाति इति; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (देवी-विशेषण)

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dhārā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A thriving shrine of Dhārā Devī: Nāgara devotees perform elaborate worship—lamps, garlands, music—while the Devī’s face is serene, radiating contentment and blessing over the gathered community.

Characters & Entities

• Dhārā
• Nāgaras
• Devī
• Bhaktas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Local, place-rooted devotion (sthāna-bhakti) becomes a channel for divine grace that uplifts the devotee community.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Dhārā-associated sacred setting within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya stream of Nāgara Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse emphasizes special worship by the Nāgaras; it functions as a praise of established local pūjā practice rather than a step-by-step ritual.