Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

प्रोचुश्च त्वरया युक्ताः शाकल्यं प्रांजलिस्थिताः । शिष्यं तं प्रेषय क्षिप्रं राजा मार्गं प्रतीक्षते

Transliteration

procuśca tvarayā yuktāḥ śākalyaṃ prāṃjalisthitāḥ | śiṣyaṃ taṃ preṣaya kṣipraṃ rājā mārgaṃ pratīkṣate

Translation

তারা ত্বরিত হয়ে, করজোড়ে দাঁড়িয়ে শাকল্যকে বলল— “শীঘ্র সেই শিষ্যকে পাঠান; রাজা পথে অপেক্ষা করছেন।”

Word by Word

• प्रोचुः: they said
• प्रोचुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• त्वरया: with haste
• त्वरया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvarā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन — instrument/means (‘with haste’)

• युक्ताः: endowed/engaged
• युक्ताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √yuj (धातु) → yukta (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — qualifying the speakers

• शाकल्यम्: O Śākalya
• शाकल्यम्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śākalya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन — addressed person (accusative of address)

• प्राञ्जलि-स्थिताः: standing with folded hands
• प्राञ्जलि-स्थिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prāñjali (प्रातिपदिक) + sthita (कृदन्त)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुष (कर्मधारय-भाव: ‘prāñjali’ as qualifier of ‘sthita’); sthita = √sthā क्त; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• शिष्यम्: the disciple
• शिष्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तम्: that (one)
• तम्: Visheshana (Determiner/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — demonstrative

• प्रेषय: send
• प्रेषय: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√iṣ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• क्षिप्रम्: quickly
• क्षिप्रम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṣipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणवत् नपुंसक-द्वितीया-एकवचन प्रयोगः (adverbial accusative)

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मार्गम्: the way/road
• मार्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रतीक्षते: waits (for)
• प्रतीक्षते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-√īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

King’s messengers (pārthiva-eritāḥ)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of attendants or learned men, palms joined, urgently addressing the sage Śākalya, indicating the king waiting on the road; a messenger-disciple is implied.

Characters & Entities

• Śākalya
• rājā (king)
• śiṣya (disciple)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes timely responsiveness to rightful summons, expressed with humility and proper etiquette (prāñjali).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is identified in this line; it supports the chapter’s ongoing sacred narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a request connected to royal logistics and duty.