Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

तस्या दक्षिणकूले स निवासमकरोत्तदा । पुष्पस्य मतिमास्थाय बन्धुभिः सकलैर्वृतः

Transliteration

tasyā dakṣiṇakūle sa nivāsamakarottadā | puṣpasya matimāsthāya bandhubhiḥ sakalairvṛtaḥ

Translation

Dort, an ihrem Südufer, richtete er damals seine Wohnstatt ein, nahm Puṣpas Rat an und war von all seinen Verwandten umgeben.

Word by Word

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive/6th), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम्

• दक्षिणकूले: on the southern bank
• दक्षिणकूले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिण + कूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम्; दक्षिणस्य कूलम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम्

• निवासम्: dwelling, residence
• निवासम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम्

• अकरोत्: made, established
• अकरोत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (temporal adverb)

• पुष्पस्य: of Puṣpa
• पुष्पस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive/6th), एकवचनम्

• मतिम्: intention, resolve
• मतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम्

• आस्थाय: having adopted, having resolved
• आस्थाय: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्तः (Gerund/Absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया

• बन्धुभिः: by/with kinsmen
• बन्धुभिः: Sahakaraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचनम्

• सकलैः: all
• सकलैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (बन्धुभिः)

• वृतः: surrounded
• वृतः: Karta-visheshana (Predicate adjective/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत (वृ धातु, क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (Past Passive Participle); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘surrounded’ अर्थे

Speaker

Narrator (deduced Nāgara Khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sarasvatī-tīra (specific sub-tīrtha not named in this verse)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija-uttamāḥ (addressed as ‘O best of twice-born’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee establishes a modest dwelling on the southern bank of a sacred river, surrounded by relatives, receiving counsel from Puṣpa; the river flows calmly with tīrtha markers (steps, small shrines).

Characters & Entities

• Sarasvatī (southern bank)
• Puṣpa
• relatives (bandhu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha-vāsa—staying near a sacred river with right guidance and community—supports sustained spiritual practice.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The Sarasvatī’s southern bank, presented as a suitable place for residence and observance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No fixed rite; it indicates tīrtha-vāsa as a preparatory discipline for worship and japa.