Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

तत्रैव वसतिः कार्या समस्तैः पन्नगोत्तमैः । यथा भूयो वसेन्नैव तथा कार्यं च तत्पुरम्

Transliteration

tatraiva vasatiḥ kāryā samastaiḥ pannagottamaiḥ | yathā bhūyo vasennaiva tathā kāryaṃ ca tatpuram

Translation

"Ihr alle, die vornehmsten Schlangen, müsst genau dort wohnen, und mit dieser Stadt muss so verfahren werden, dass sie nie wieder bewohnt wird."

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/अवधारण (emphasis)

• वसतिः: dwelling/residence
• वसतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसति (प्रातिपदिक; √वस् ‘to dwell’ से भाववाचक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कार्या: should be made/arranged
• कार्या: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicative adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय; कार्य)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: ‘to be done/should be made’)

• समस्तैः: by all (together)
• समस्तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• पन्नगोत्तमैः: by the best serpents
• पन्नगोत्तमैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पन्नग + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘उत्तमाः पन्नगाः’

• यथा: so that/as
• यथा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Manner/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (as/so that)

• भूयः: again
• भूयः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस्/भूयः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरर्थक (again/further)

• वसेत्: should dwell
• वसेत्: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• न: not
• न: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• एव: at all/indeed
• एव: Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/in that way)

• कार्यम्: it should be done
• कार्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृत्; कार्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, ‘कार्यं’ = ‘that which should be done’

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

• तत्पुरम्: that city
• तत्पुरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् + पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘तस्य पुरम्’ (that city)

Speaker

Pannagādhipa (Śeṣa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Camatkārapura

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Foremost nāgas establish a permanent encampment around the ruined city, coiling at gates and crossroads; warning signs of abandonment—silent streets, broken doors—while the nāgas’ presence prevents re-settlement.

Characters & Entities

• Śeṣa
• Nāgas
• Camatkārapura

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Places, like persons, bear the imprint of adharma in Purāṇic imagination; the verse portrays lasting social-spiritual fallout from grave sin.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative frame belongs to Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra; the verse itself continues the Camatkārapura episode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an instruction about settlement and non-resettlement, not a rite.