Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन पठनीयं विशेषतः । श्रोतव्यं च प्रभक्त्येदं नागरैश्च विशेषतः

Transliteration

tasmātsarvaprayatnena paṭhanīyaṃ viśeṣataḥ | śrotavyaṃ ca prabhaktyedaṃ nāgaraiśca viśeṣataḥ

Translation

لذلك، ينبغي بكل اجتهاد أن يُقرأ هذا الـ(ماهَاتميا) على وجه الخصوص، وأن يُستمع إليه أيضًا بإيمانٍ تعبّدي—وخاصةً أهلَ ناغارا في هذه الناحية.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-इत्यव्ययीभाव/निपातवत् (therefore/from that), पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः

• सर्वप्रयत्नेन: with all effort
• सर्वप्रयत्नेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (सर्वः प्रयत्नः), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; साधनार्थे

• पठनीयम्: should be read
• पठनीयम्: Kriya (Obligation/कर्तव्य-क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पठ् (धातु) + अनीयर् (कृदन्त)
• Form: अनीयर्-प्रत्ययान्त भाव्य/कर्तव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (gerundive: to be read), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate)

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक-अव्यय (adverb: especially)

• श्रोतव्यम्: should be heard
• श्रोतव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation/कर्तव्य-क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (gerundive: to be heard), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (and)

• प्रभक्त्या: with devotion
• प्रभक्त्या: Karana (Means/Manner/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; साधन/रीत्यर्थे (with devotion)

• इदम्: this (text/teaching)
• इदम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदं (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नागरैः: by the Nāgaras (people of Nāgara)
• नागरैः: Karana/Karta (Agent/Instrument/करण/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (and)

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक-अव्यय (especially)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced from Nāgara-khaṇḍa narrative frame; immediate speaker not explicit in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dhārādevī/Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra māhātmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvāija audience; additionally addresses Nāgara people as primary stakeholders

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A community scene: townspeople of Nāgara gathered in a mandapa; a designated reader recites from a manuscript while others listen with folded hands; banners or temple flags indicate collective participation.

Characters & Entities

• Nāgara (region/people)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Scriptural devotion is practical: regular reading and faithful listening to māhātmyas sustains dharma and strengthens bhakti.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The Dhārā/Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra tīrtha setting in the Nāgara Khaṇḍa, recommended for special attention by local devotees.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pāṭha (reading/recitation) and śravaṇa (listening) performed with prabhakti (devoted faith).