Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

अथ तेषां समस्तानां मार्गे गोष्पदमागतम् । जलपूर्णं समायातमकालजलदागमे

Transliteration

atha teṣāṃ samastānāṃ mārge goṣpadamāgatam | jalapūrṇaṃ samāyātamakālajaladāgame

Translation

তাৰ পিছত তেওঁলোক সকলোৰে পথত গোৰ খুৰৰ দাগ সদৃশ এটা গহ্বৰ দেখা দিলে, যি পানীৰে পূৰ্ণ আছিল, অকালতে মেঘ আহি বৰষুণ দিয়াৰ ফলত।

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Adhikaraṇa/कालाधिकरण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरबोधक-अव्यय

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha/सम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• समस्तानाम्: of all (together)
• समस्तानाम्: Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (तेषाम्)

• मार्गे: on the path
• मार्गे: Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गोष्पदम्: a cow’s hoofprint (small hollow)
• गोष्पदम्: Karta/कर्ता (of ‘आगतम्/समायातम्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो + पाद (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘गोः पादः/पदं’ → ‘cow’s hoofprint’

• आगतम्: was found/appeared
• आगतम्: Kriya/क्रिया (predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√गम् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—भूतकर्मणि क्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘प्राप्तम्/उपस्थितम्’

• जलपूर्णम्: filled with water
• जलपूर्णम्: Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जल + पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘जलेन पूर्णम्’ विशेषण (गोष्पदम्)

• समायातम्: had come/was present
• समायातम्: Kriya/क्रिया (predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√या (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—भूतकर्मणि क्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘सम्यक् आगतम्/उपस्थितम्’

• अकालजलदागमे: at the coming of untimely rain-clouds
• अकालजलदागमे: Adhikaraṇa/कालाधिकरण
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकाल + जलद + आगम (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘अकाले जलदानाम् आगमे’ (locative absolute sense of time)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic voice; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa style narration within Māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Goṣpada-tīrtha (implied by description)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On a dusty path, a small hoofprint-shaped depression gleams with clear water; above, unexpected rainclouds gather; the weary Vālakhilyas notice the water with wonder and relief.

Characters & Entities

• Vālakhilyas
• Rain-clouds (jalada)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

On a dharmic journey, even small impediments can test resolve—steadfastness is part of merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha is specified in this verse; it describes a narrative obstacle on the way to the sacrificial ground.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse describes conditions on the route to a yajña.