Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

सोऽपि राजाऽथ मासांते समागत्य सुभक्तितः । अभिषेकं समादाय पूजयित्वा द्विजोत्तमान्

Transliteration

so'pi rājā'tha māsāṃte samāgatya subhaktitaḥ | abhiṣekaṃ samādāya pūjayitvā dvijottamān

Translation

Auch der König kam am Monatsende in tiefer Hingabe herbei; er nahm den Abhiṣeka-Ritus auf sich und ehrte die vorzüglichsten brāhmaṇas,

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (also/too)

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्ययम् (then/now)

• मासान्ते: at the end of the month
• मासान्ते: Adhikarana (Time locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (मासस्य अन्ते)

• समागत्य: having arrived
• समागत्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्तम् (absolutive/gerund), ‘having come/arrived’

• सुभक्तितः: out of good devotion
• सुभक्तितः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (Ablative), एकवचनम्; हेतौ (as adverbial: out of/through devotion)

• अभिषेकम्: consecration (rite)
• अभिषेकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिषेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• समादाय: having undertaken/taken up
• समादाय: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्तम् (absolutive), ‘having taken/undertaken’

• पूजयित्वा: having worshipped
• पूजयित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्तम् (absolutive), ‘having worshipped’

• द्विजोत्तमान्: the best Brahmins
• द्विजोत्तमान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (द्विजेषु उत्तमान्)

Speaker

Narrator within Nāgarakhaṇḍa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devout king arrives at month’s end, bearing ritual vessels for abhiṣeka; he bows and offers honors to eminent brāhmaṇas seated in a consecrated space.

Characters & Entities

• King
• Brāhmaṇas (dvijottamāḥ)
• Abhiṣeka (Rudra/Śiva implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True devotion is shown by personally participating in worship and by honoring worthy spiritual custodians of ritual tradition.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The action occurs within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative setting; the verse highlights the monthly return for worship rather than naming a new site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

At month’s end, the king should come, undertake the abhiṣeka, and honor the foremost brāhmaṇas.