Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

अर्केश्वरं च नेपालं दुष्कर्णं करवीरकम् । जागेश्वरं तथा देवि श्रीशैलं पर्वतोत्तमम्

Transliteration

arkeśvaraṃ ca nepālaṃ duṣkarṇaṃ karavīrakam | jāgeśvaraṃ tathā devi śrīśailaṃ parvatottamam

Translation

আর আছে অর্কেশ্বর, নেপাল, দুষ্কর্ণ, করবীরক; তদুপরি হে দেবী, জাগেশ্বর এবং পর্বতশ্রেষ্ঠ শ্রীশৈল।

Word by Word

• अर्केश्वरम्: Arkeśvara
• अर्केश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अर्कस्य ईश्वरः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• नेपालम्: Nepāla
• नेपालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• दुष्कर्णम्: Duṣkarṇa (name/place)
• दुष्कर्णम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुस् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/प्रादि-समास (दुष् + कर्ण)

• करवीरकम्: Karavīraka (oleander; name/place)
• करवीरकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करवीरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• जागेश्वरम्: Jāgeśvara
• जागेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाग (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (जागस्य ईश्वरः)

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (also/likewise)

• देवि: O Goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• श्रीशैलम्: Śrīśaila
• श्रीशैलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + शैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (श्रीमान् शैलः)

• पर्वतोत्तमम्: the best of mountains
• पर्वतोत्तमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पर्वतानाम् उत्तमम्); विशेषणम् (श्रीशैलम्)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; address ‘devi’)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arkeśvara; Nepāla; Duṣkarṇa; Karavīraka; Jāgeśvara; Śrīśaila

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panoramic sacred-geography scroll: sun-associated Arkeśvara shrine, Himalayan Nepal vignette, forested Jāgeśvara with many liṅgas, and the grand Śrīśaila mountain crowned by a temple; pilgrims traverse varied terrains.

Characters & Entities

• Arkeśvara
• Nepāla
• Duṣkarṇa
• Karavīraka
• Jāgeśvara
• Śrīśaila

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The greatness of tīrthas extends across regions and mountains; seeking Śiva in such places is portrayed as highly meritorious.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Arkeśvara, Nepāla, Duṣkarṇa, Karavīraka, Jāgeśvara, and especially Śrīśaila.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific vrata or rite is described in this verse.