Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

वत्स उवाच । तवाश्रमपदे सूत चातुर्मास्यसमुद्भवम् । कर्तुमिच्छाम्यनुष्ठानं शुश्रूषां चेत्करोषि मे

Transliteration

vatsa uvāca | tavāśramapade sūta cāturmāsyasamudbhavam | kartumicchāmyanuṣṭhānaṃ śuśrūṣāṃ cetkaroṣi me

Translation

বৎস বললেন—হে সূত! তোমার আশ্রম-ধামে আমি চাতুর্মাস্য-সম্বন্ধীয় ব্রত-অনুষ্ঠান করতে ইচ্ছা করি। তুমি যদি আমার শুশ্রূষা কর, তবে এখানেই তা আরম্ভ হোক।

Word by Word

• वत्सः: Vatsa (name/son)
• वत्सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• आश्रमपदे: at the hermitage-place
• आश्रमपदे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रमपद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—आश्रमस्य पदम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• सूत: O Sūta
• सूत: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• चातुर्मास्यसमुद्भवम्: arising from the Cāturmāsya (observance)
• चातुर्मास्यसमुद्भवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चातुर्मास्य + समुद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—चातुर्मास्यात् समुद्भवम् (पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुष)

• कर्तुम्: to do
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-रूप (Infinitive)

• इच्छामि: I desire
• इच्छामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• अनुष्ठानम्: a rite/observance
• अनुष्ठानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुष्ठान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• शुश्रूषाम्: service/attendance
• शुश्रूषाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुश्रूषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (Clause linker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त-निपात (conditional particle)

• करोषि: you do
• करोषि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• मे: for me/to me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Vatsa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sūta Lomaharṣaṇa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa Vatsa respectfully petitions Sūta Lomaharṣaṇa in a forest-āśrama, requesting to observe Cāturmāsya there; the mood is quiet, disciplined, and devotional.

Characters & Entities

• Vatsa
• Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred observances are strengthened by proper place (āśrama) and supportive service (śuśrūṣā), showing that vrata is both discipline and relationship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The āśrama setting within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s tīrtha-framework is implied; the verse highlights the sanctity of a hermitage as a fit locus for vows.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Cāturmāsya-related anuṣṭhāna (seasonal observance during the four months), to be performed at the āśrama with attendant service.