Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

शाकल्याय च तां दत्त्वा दक्षिणां निजमंदिरे । जगाम नित्यमेवं हि व्यवहारो व्यवस्थितः

Transliteration

śākalyāya ca tāṃ dattvā dakṣiṇāṃ nijamaṃdire | jagāma nityamevaṃ hi vyavahāro vyavasthitaḥ

Translation

ثم سلّم تلك الدكشِنا (dakṣiṇā) إلى شاكاليا (Śākalya) في داره، ومضى. وهكذا، يومًا بعد يوم، استقرّ هذا النظام من الخدمة استقرارًا راسخًا.

Word by Word

• śākalyāya: to Śākalya
• śākalyāya: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śākalya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• tām: that
• tām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• dattvā: having given
• dattvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √dā (दा धातु); क्त्वा-प्रत्यय
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय ‘after giving’

• dakṣiṇām: the fee (dakṣiṇā)
• dakṣiṇām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• nija-maṃdire: in (his) own house/temple
• nija-maṃdire: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nija + maṃdira (प्रातिपदिक); समासः
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘निजं मन्दिरम्’

• jagāma: went
• jagāma: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (गम् धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• nityam: always, regularly
• nityam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nityam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण

• evam: thus
• evam: Prakāra (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/in this manner)

• hi: indeed, for
• hi: Nipāta (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (indeed/for)

• vyavahāraḥ: practice, customary procedure
• vyavahāraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyavahāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• vyavasthitaḥ: was established, fixed
• vyavasthitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi + ava + √sthā (स्था धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle) ‘स्थित/established’

Speaker

Sūta (narratorial voice, as typical in Māhātmya sections)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A modest guru’s residence: Yājñavalkya respectfully offers the received dakṣiṇā to Śākalya; the teacher accepts with composed authority; the routine repeats as an established daily practice.

Characters & Entities

• Śākalya
• dakṣiṇā
• daily practice (nityam)
• established custom

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred institutions endure through consistent daily practice and proper support of learned officiants.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ongoing worship system is tied to the same holy kṣetra, though the verse highlights the routine of ritual support.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Regular payment/transfer of dakṣiṇā to the presiding brāhmaṇa (Śākalya) as part of the daily arrangement.