Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

एवं स निश्चयं कृत्वा स्वचित्ते पांडवानुजः । प्रासादं निर्ममे पश्चाद्वैष्णवं द्विजसत्तमाः

Transliteration

evaṃ sa niścayaṃ kṛtvā svacitte pāṃḍavānujaḥ | prāsādaṃ nirmame paścādvaiṣṇavaṃ dvijasattamāḥ

Translation

So fasste der jüngere Bruder unter den Pāṇḍavas in seinem Herzen den Entschluss und errichtete daraufhin einen vaiṣṇavischen Tempel — o Bester der Zweimalgeborenen.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (प्रकारवाचक)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निश्चयम्: a decision; resolve
• निश्चयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निश्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having done/made’

• स्वचित्ते: in his own mind
• स्वचित्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (‘स्वं चित्तम्’)

• पाण्डवानुजः: the younger brother of the Pāṇḍavas
• पाण्डवानुजः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव + अनुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘पाण्डवानाम् अनुजः’ = younger brother of the Pāṇḍavas)

• प्रासादम्: a temple/palace
• प्रासादम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रासाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निर्ममे: constructed; built
• निर्ममे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्मा/मा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम; उपसर्गः ‘निर्-’

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक; ‘afterwards’)

• वैष्णवम्: Vaiṣṇava; pertaining to Vishnu
• वैष्णवम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (प्रासादम्)

• द्विजसत्तमाः: O best of Brahmins (twice-born)
• द्विजसत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (‘द्विजाः सत्तमाः’ = best of the twice-born)

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator addressing sages/brāhmaṇas (dvija-sattama)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Cakrapāṇi-prāsāda-kṣetra (implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija-sattama (addressed in verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The younger Pāṇḍava, resolute, oversees construction: measuring cords, pillars rising, craftsmen at work; brāhmaṇas chant nearby; the future sanctum is marked for Viṣṇu.

Characters & Entities

• Pāṇḍavānuja (Arjuna)
• Vaiṣṇava prāsāda (Viṣṇu temple)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Inner resolve (niścaya) should culminate in dharmic action—creating enduring places of worship for the benefit of pilgrims and the world.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Nāgarakhaṇḍa kṣetra where a Vaiṣṇava prāsāda is constructed in the Arjuneśvara–Cakrapāṇi narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prāsāda-nirmāṇa (temple construction) dedicated to Viṣṇu, implying ongoing pūjā and pilgrimage support.