Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

ततस्तस्याग्रतश्चक्रुः कथास्ते बहुधा नृप । राजर्षीणामतीतानां ब्रह्मर्षीणां विशेषतः

Transliteration

tatastasyāgrataścakruḥ kathāste bahudhā nṛpa | rājarṣīṇāmatītānāṃ brahmarṣīṇāṃ viśeṣataḥ

Translation

ثم، أيها الملك، أجرَوا أمامه أحاديثَ مقدّسةً شتّى، ولا سيّما عن الرِّشيّات الملوك (rājaṛṣi) في الأزمنة الخالية، وبوجهٍ أخصّ عن الرِّشيّات العظام من أهل البراهما (brahmaṛṣi).

Word by Word

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable adverb; अर्थे: अनन्तरम् (thereafter)

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• agrataḥ: in front
• agrataḥ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: agratas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक) = indeclinable adverb; अर्थे: पुरतः (in front)

• cakruḥ: they did/made
• cakruḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• kathāḥ: stories, narrations
• kathāḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kathā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), बहुवचन

• te: to him
• te: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/dative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• bahudhā: in many ways
• bahudhā: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bahudhā (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable adverb; अर्थे: अनेकप्रकारेण (in many ways)

• nṛpa: O king
• nṛpa: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन

• rājarṣīṇām: of royal sages
• rājarṣīṇām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājarṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन; समास: राज + ऋषि (तत्पुरुष)

• atītānām: of the bygone/past
• atītānām: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: atīta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √i (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past/passive participle) विशेषण

• brahmarṣīṇām: of brahma-sages
• brahmarṣīṇām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahmarṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन; समास: ब्रह्म + ऋषि (तत्पुरुष)

• viśeṣataḥ: especially
• viśeṣataḥ: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable adverb; अर्थे: विशेषेण (especially)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator, implied)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: O king (nṛpa) addressed in the narrative frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sages seated in discourse posture, one elder speaking with raised hand; the king sits attentively before the liṅga; the sanctum lamps illuminate faces as stories of ancient rājarṣis and brahmarṣis unfold.

Characters & Entities

• Rājarṣis
• Brahmarṣis

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In a tīrtha, devotion is strengthened through satsanga—listening to dharma-kathā about exemplary sages and righteous kings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha context is the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s liṅga-centered shrine; the site-name is not specified in this single verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; the implied observance is satsanga/dharma-kathā in the sacred presence.