Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

स त्वं तासां विघातार्थमुपायं भूप चिंतय । येन तां पांसुभिर्भूमिं पूरयामः समंततः

Transliteration

sa tvaṃ tāsāṃ vighātārthamupāyaṃ bhūpa ciṃtaya | yena tāṃ pāṃsubhirbhūmiṃ pūrayāmaḥ samaṃtataḥ

Translation

অতএব হে রাজা, তাদের (মাতৃকাদের) বাধা নিবারণের উপায় চিন্তা করুন, যাতে আমরা চারিদিক থেকে সেই ভূমি ধূলিতে পূর্ণ করতে পারি।

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Sambodhana/Prayojya (Addressed/सम्बोधनार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• तासाम्: of them
• तासाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• विघात-अर्थम्: for (their) removal/relief
• विघात-अर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विघात (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; चतुर्थी-तत्पुरुषार्थकः (‘विघाताय’ = for removal/obstruction)

• उपायम्: a means / method
• उपायम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• भूप: O king
• भूप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (vocative)

• चिन्तय: think / devise
• चिन्तय: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (आज्ञार्थ/imperative), मध्यम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सम्बन्धक-प्रयोगः (relative)

• ताम्: that (her/it)
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• पांसुभिः: with dust
• पांसुभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पांसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• भूमिम्: the ground/earth
• भूमिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• पूरयामः: we fill
• पूरयामः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूर् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (वर्तमान), उत्तम-पुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्; causative sense in usage (‘to fill’)

• समन्ततः: on all sides
• समन्ततः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; सर्वतोभावे क्रियाविशेषणम् (all around)

Speaker

Vyaṃtaras/Bhūtas (petitioning King Kuśa; collective speech implied)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vyaṃtaras address King Kuśa with urgent gestures, pointing toward the distant sacred field; the king appears thoughtful, hand to chin, contemplating a dhārmic solution.

Characters & Entities

• King Kuśa
• Mātṛgaṇa (implied by ‘tāsām’)
• Vyaṃtaras/Bhūtas (speakers)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Hostile intent seeks ‘strategies,’ but sacred power (here, the Mātṛs) stands as a moral boundary protecting dharmic spaces.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Nāgarakhaṇḍa tīrtha whose ground is being targeted for filling with dust; the verse does not specify the place-name.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a strategic request within the story, not a dhārmic injunction.