Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

प्राप्नोति परमां पूजां विशेषान्नागरैः कृताम् । धारानामेति विख्याता भक्तलोकसुख प्रदा

Transliteration

prāpnoti paramāṃ pūjāṃ viśeṣānnāgaraiḥ kṛtām | dhārānāmeti vikhyātā bhaktalokasukha pradā

Translation

Sie empfängt die höchste Verehrung—besonders jene, die von den Nāgaras dargebracht wird. Unter dem Namen Dhārā ist sie berühmt, die der Gemeinschaft der Bhaktas Glückseligkeit schenkt.

Word by Word

• prāpnoti: attains/receives
• prāpnoti: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-āp (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमानकाल/Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• paramām: supreme
• paramām: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (पूजाम्-विशेषण)

• pūjām: worship
• pūjām: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• viśeṣāt: especially
• viśeṣāt: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (कारण/विशेषार्थ) = ‘especially’

• nāgaraiḥ: by townspeople/citizens
• nāgaraiḥ: Karaṇa/Agent (Doer)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāgara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• kṛtām: performed
• kṛtām: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (पूजाम्-विशेषण)

• dhārā-nāma: the name ‘Dhārā’
• dhārā-nāma: Karta (Subject of eti)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhārā (प्रातिपदिक) + nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष) = धारायाः नाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (नाम-शब्दः)

• eti: goes/comes; is called
• eti: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: i (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• vikhyātā: well-known
• vikhyātā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-khyā (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (सा/देवी implied)

• bhakta-loka-sukha-pradā: giver of happiness to the world of devotees
• bhakta-loka-sukha-pradā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhakta (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक) + sukha (प्रातिपदिक) + pradā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (बहुपद-तत्पुरुष) = भक्तानां लोकस्य सुखं प्रददाति इति; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (देवी-विशेषण)

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dhārā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A thriving shrine of Dhārā Devī: Nāgara devotees perform elaborate worship—lamps, garlands, music—while the Devī’s face is serene, radiating contentment and blessing over the gathered community.

Characters & Entities

• Dhārā
• Nāgaras
• Devī
• Bhaktas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Local, place-rooted devotion (sthāna-bhakti) becomes a channel for divine grace that uplifts the devotee community.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Dhārā-associated sacred setting within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya stream of Nāgara Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse emphasizes special worship by the Nāgaras; it functions as a praise of established local pūjā practice rather than a step-by-step ritual.