Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

प्रेत उवाच । चमत्कारपुरे भूप श्रीक्षेत्रे हाटकेश्वरे । आस्ते पांसुभिराच्छन्नं कलेर्भीतं गयाशिरः

Transliteration

preta uvāca | camatkārapure bhūpa śrīkṣetre hāṭakeśvare | āste pāṃsubhirācchannaṃ kalerbhītaṃ gayāśiraḥ

Translation

قال البريتا: «أيها الملك، في مدينة تشمَتكارابورا—ضمن الكشيترا المقدّسة لهاتاكِشْوَرا—ترقد غاياشيراس، مغطّاة بالغبار، خائفة من عصر كالي».

Word by Word

• प्रेतः: the preta (departed spirit)
• प्रेतः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• चमत्कारपुरे: in Camatkārapura
• चमत्कारपुरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चमत्कार-पुर (प्रातिपदिक; चमत्कार + पुर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• भूप: O king
• भूप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• श्रीक्षेत्रे: in the holy field (Śrīkṣetra)
• श्रीक्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री-क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक; श्री + क्षेत्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• हाटकेश्वरे: at Hāṭakeśvara
• हाटकेश्वरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हाटक-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; हाटक + ईश्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• आस्ते: is situated / remains
• आस्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• पांसुभिः: with dust
• पांसुभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पांसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• आच्छन्नम्: covered
• आच्छन्नम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-छद् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying)

• कलेः: of Kali (the age)
• कलेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• भीतम्: afraid
• भीतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भी (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• गयाशिरः: Gayāśiras (the head/peak of Gayā)
• गयाशिरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया-शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक; गया + शिरस्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Preta (Kṛtaghna)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-śrīkṣetra (Camatkārapura) with Gāyāśiras

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: bhūpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A preta addresses a king in a dusty, time-worn sacred precinct; a mound/‘śiras’ lies half-buried, conveying Kali-yuga neglect and fear.

Characters & Entities

• Camatkārapura
• Hāṭakeśvara
• Gāyāśiras
• Kali (Kali Yuga)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even in Kali Yuga, sacred geography remains a channel of grace, though holy places may become obscured and require restoration through dharmic effort.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Camatkārapura in the Hāṭakeśvara kṣetra, specifically the sacred spot called Gāyāśiras.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Not yet specified in this verse; it identifies the kṣetra and tīrtha that will serve as the locus for the liberating rite.