Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

तत्र गत्वा प्रहृष्टा त्माकृत्वा रम्यं महेश्वरम् । गीतनृत्यसवाद्यैश्च रात्रिजागरणादिभिः । चकार पूर्ववद्राज्यं समंताद्धतकंटकम्

Transliteration

tatra gatvā prahṛṣṭā tmākṛtvā ramyaṃ maheśvaram | gītanṛtyasavādyaiśca rātrijāgaraṇādibhiḥ | cakāra pūrvavadrājyaṃ samaṃtāddhatakaṃṭakam

Translation

Dorthin gelangt, von Freude im Herzen erfüllt, errichtete und verehrte er ein schönes Heiligtum des Maheśvara (Śiva). Mit Gesang, Tanz, Instrumentalmusik und Gelübden wie der nächtlichen Wache machte er sein Reich wieder wie zuvor—ringsum frei von Dornen (Drangsalen).

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Desha-kala (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

• प्रहृष्टः: delighted
• प्रहृष्टः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-√हृष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP used adjectivally); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आकृत्वा: having made (him)
• आकृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund); 'having made/caused'

• रम्यम्: beautiful/pleasing
• रम्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with महेश्वरम्)

• महेश्वरम्: Maheshvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; महा + ईश्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गीतनृत्यसवाद्यैः: with singing, dancing, and music
• गीतनृत्यसवाद्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत-नृत्य-स-वाद्य (प्रातिपदिक; गीत + नृत्य + स + वाद्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय

• रात्रिजागरणादिभिः: with night-vigil and the like
• रात्रिजागरणादिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि-जागरण-आदि (प्रातिपदिक; रात्रि + जागरण + आदि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• चकार: made/did
• चकार: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• पूर्ववत्: as before
• पूर्ववत्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्ववत् (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/रीतिवाचक अव्यय (adverb: 'as before')

• राज्यम्: the kingdom
• राज्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समन्तात्: on all sides
• समन्तात्: Desha-kala (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्तात् (अव्यय)
• Form: परितः-अर्थे अव्यय (adverb: 'on all sides')

• हतकण्टकम्: with thorns (troubles/obstacles) removed
• हतकण्टकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हत-कण्टक (प्रातिपदिक; हत + कण्टक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with राज्यम्)

Speaker

Narrator (third-person)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahēśvara (Śiva) shrine established/worshipped by the king (name of kṣetra not specified)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (frame; not explicit here)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king arrives joyfully and establishes/worships a beautiful Maheśvara shrine; the night is alive with lamps, singing, dancing, and instruments as devotees keep vigil; afterward the kingdom becomes ‘thornless’—peaceful and secure.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion to Śiva expressed through worship, music, and vigil supports both spiritual uplift and worldly stability.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse says “there” without naming the place; it implies a tīrtha setting within Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Rātri-jāgaraṇa (night vigil) along with gīta-nṛtya-vādya (devotional singing, dance, and music) in honor of Maheśvara.