Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 108

Devanagari script

ततो नागह्रदे तस्मिन्स कृत्वा निजमन्दिरम् । निवासमकरोत्तत्र स्वाध्यायनिरतः शुचिः

Transliteration

tato nāgahrade tasminsa kṛtvā nijamandiram | nivāsamakarottatra svādhyāyanirataḥ śuciḥ

Translation

ثم عند ناغاهْرَدا ذاك بنى لنفسه مسكنًا، وأقام هناك—طاهرًا نقيًّا، مواظبًا على السْفادْهيَايا (svādhyāya: التلاوة والدراسة الذاتية للنصوص المقدسة).

Word by Word

• ततः: then / thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Temporal/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• नाग-ह्रदे: in the Nāga-lake
• नाग-ह्रदे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक) + ह्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); नागस्य ह्रदः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• तस्मिन्: in that (place)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त्वान्त/absolutive), अव्यय-भाव (gerund)

• निज-मन्दिरम्: his own dwelling/temple
• निज-मन्दिरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्दिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); निजं मन्दिरम् (कर्मधारय)

• निवासम्: residence
• निवासम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अकरोत्: made / established
• अकरोत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of place)

• स्वाध्याय-निरतः: devoted to self-study
• स्वाध्याय-निरतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वाध्याय (प्रातिपदिक) + निरत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (past participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); स्वाध्याये निरतः (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• शुचिः: pure
• शुचिः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nāgahrada

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A quiet hermitage beside a sacred lake (Nāgahrada): a small hut, darbha grass, a brāhmaṇa seated with palm-leaf manuscripts, water shimmering with nāga symbolism (serpentine motifs), atmosphere of purity and study.

Characters & Entities

• Nāgahrada
• Devaśarmā (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha is not only for a visit; sustained discipline—purity and svādhyāya—transforms exile into spiritual restoration.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Nāgahrada, portrayed as a place fit for residence, study, and purification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Svādhyāya (sacred study/recitation) and maintaining śauca (purity) while residing at the tīrtha.