Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

अथ तान्पृथिवीपालः स प्रणम्य यथाक्रमम् । उपविष्टः सभामध्ये तैः सर्वैश्चाभिनंदितः

Transliteration

atha tānpṛthivīpālaḥ sa praṇamya yathākramam | upaviṣṭaḥ sabhāmadhye taiḥ sarvaiścābhinaṃditaḥ

Translation

তখন সেই ভূ-পাল (রাজা) যথাক্রমে তাঁদের প্রণাম করে সভার মধ্যভাগে বসিলেন; আর সকলেই তাঁকে সাদরে অভ্যর্থনা করিলেন।

Word by Word

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• tān: them
• tān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• pṛthivīpālaḥ: the king (protector of the earth)
• pṛthivīpālaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛthivīpāla (प्रातिपदिक) = pṛthivī + pāla
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (पृथिव्याः पालः)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• praṇamya: having bowed
• praṇamya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial to main action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√nam (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययभाव; अर्थः—प्रणामं कृत्वा (having bowed)

• yathākramam: in due order
• yathākramam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathākrama (प्रातिपदिक) = yathā + krama
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय (adverb) अर्थः—क्रमानुसारम्

• upaviṣṭaḥ: sat down / seated
• upaviṣṭaḥ: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-√viś (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे—'seated'

• sabhāmadhye: in the middle of the assembly
• sabhāmadhye: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sabhāmadhya (प्रातिपदिक) = sabhā + madhya
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (सभायाः मध्ये)

• taiḥ: by them
• taiḥ: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• sarvaiḥ: by all
• sarvaiḥ: Karana (Instrumental qualifier/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण (taiḥ इत्यस्य)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• abhinanditaḥ: welcomed / praised
• abhinanditaḥ: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√nand (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि—'congratulated/hailed'

Speaker

Narratorial voice within Māhātmya (exact speaker not stated in snippet)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Audience of the Purāṇa; internally, the sabhā members

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king enters a hall of sages, bows sequentially to each, then sits centrally as the assembly blesses and welcomes him.

Characters & Entities

• King (Pṛthivīpāla)
• Brāhmaṇas/Munis (contextual)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even rulers prosper through humility—honoring the learned and entering sacred assembly with proper conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The episode unfolds at the Mahākāla-associated tīrtha where sages have gathered.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Proper etiquette (yathākramam praṇāma) toward sages—an implied dhārmic observance.