Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

केवलं दर्शनं यश्च ध्यानं वा मे करिष्यति । तस्य राज्यं प्रदास्यामि भोगान्मानुषसंभवान्

Transliteration

kevalaṃ darśanaṃ yaśca dhyānaṃ vā me kariṣyati | tasya rājyaṃ pradāsyāmi bhogānmānuṣasaṃbhavān

Translation

Und wer mich auch nur erblickt oder in Meditation an mich denkt—dem werde ich Herrschaft verleihen und die im Menschenreich geborenen Genüsse.

Word by Word

• केवलम्: only/mere
• केवलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘दर्शनम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• दर्शनम्: seeing/vision
• दर्शनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यः: whoever
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• ध्यानम्: meditation
• ध्यानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• मे: of me / my
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• करिष्यति: will do/perform
• करिष्यति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• तस्य: for him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• प्रदास्यामि: I will grant
• प्रदास्यामि: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दा (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार, उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• भोगान्: enjoyments
• भोगान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• मानुषसम्भवान्: arising from human (world)
• मानुषसम्भवान्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुष + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—मानुषेभ्यः सम्भवाः/मानुषसम्भवाः (तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Devī

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Andhaka

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devī promises sovereignty and human enjoyments to those who simply behold or meditate on her; imagery can juxtapose a devotee’s humble darśana with a later coronation scene as symbolic fruit.

Characters & Entities

• Devī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even simple acts—darśana and dhyāna—are celebrated as potent devotional gateways to dharma-supported prosperity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Nāgara Khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya locale where the Goddess is दर्शन-worthy and meditation-worthy (Kelīśvarī context).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No complex rite is required here; the verse highlights darśana (sacred viewing) and dhyāna (meditation) as sufficient practices.