Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

एवं तान्सेवकान्भूपः सोऽभिधाय विसृज्य च । तीर्थयात्रा परो भूत्वा बभ्राम वसुधातले

Transliteration

evaṃ tānsevakānbhūpaḥ so'bhidhāya visṛjya ca | tīrthayātrā paro bhūtvā babhrāma vasudhātale

Translation

Nachdem der König so zu den Dienern gesprochen und sie entlassen hatte, wurde er ganz der Pilgerfahrt zu den Tīrthas hingegeben und wanderte über das Antlitz der Erde.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner: “thus”)

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (Accusative plural, masc.)

• सेवकान्: servants
• सेवकान्: Karma (Object; apposition to तान्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेवक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (Accusative plural, masc.)

• भूपः: the king
• भूपः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (Nominative singular, masc.)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject; resumptive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (Nominative singular, masc.)

• अभिधाय: having addressed/said
• अभिधाय: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); “having spoken/said”

• विसृज्य: having dismissed
• विसृज्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√सृज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); “having dismissed/released”

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction “and”)

• तीर्थयात्रापरः: devoted to pilgrimage
• तीर्थयात्रापरः: Karta (Subject; predicate adjective to भूपः/सः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीर्थयात्रा (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तीर्थयात्रायाः परः = devoted to pilgrimage) (Nom. sg. masc.)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); “having become”

• बभ्राम: wandered
• बभ्राम: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भ्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम् (3rd sg. perfect)

• वसुधातले: on the surface of the earth
• वसुधातले: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुधा (प्रातिपदिक) + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वसुधायाः तलम्) (Locative singular, neut.)

Speaker

Sūta (narration)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (assembly)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king, having addressed and dismissed his attendants, sets out alone or lightly accompanied, walking across varied landscapes—plains, forests, riverbanks—carrying minimal royal insignia, his posture resolute and inwardly calm.

Characters & Entities

• bhūpa (king)
• tīrtha-yātrā (pilgrimage)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage (tīrtha-yātrā) is portrayed as a practical dharmic path for purification and divine grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The journey culminates in the revelation of Śaṅkhatīrtha, the celebrated healing tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Undertake tīrtha-yātrā with single-minded dedication.