Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन पठनीयं विशेषतः । श्रोतव्यं च प्रभक्त्येदं नागरैश्च विशेषतः

Transliteration

tasmātsarvaprayatnena paṭhanīyaṃ viśeṣataḥ | śrotavyaṃ ca prabhaktyedaṃ nāgaraiśca viśeṣataḥ

Translation

Darum soll man mit allem Eifer dieses (Māhātmya) besonders lesen; und man soll es auch in hingebungsvoller Glaubenskraft hören — ganz besonders die Menschen von Nāgara (dieser Gegend).

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-इत्यव्ययीभाव/निपातवत् (therefore/from that), पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः

• सर्वप्रयत्नेन: with all effort
• सर्वप्रयत्नेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (सर्वः प्रयत्नः), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; साधनार्थे

• पठनीयम्: should be read
• पठनीयम्: Kriya (Obligation/कर्तव्य-क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पठ् (धातु) + अनीयर् (कृदन्त)
• Form: अनीयर्-प्रत्ययान्त भाव्य/कर्तव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (gerundive: to be read), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate)

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक-अव्यय (adverb: especially)

• श्रोतव्यम्: should be heard
• श्रोतव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation/कर्तव्य-क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (gerundive: to be heard), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (and)

• प्रभक्त्या: with devotion
• प्रभक्त्या: Karana (Means/Manner/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; साधन/रीत्यर्थे (with devotion)

• इदम्: this (text/teaching)
• इदम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदं (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नागरैः: by the Nāgaras (people of Nāgara)
• नागरैः: Karana/Karta (Agent/Instrument/करण/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (and)

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक-अव्यय (especially)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced from Nāgara-khaṇḍa narrative frame; immediate speaker not explicit in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dhārādevī/Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra māhātmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvāija audience; additionally addresses Nāgara people as primary stakeholders

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A community scene: townspeople of Nāgara gathered in a mandapa; a designated reader recites from a manuscript while others listen with folded hands; banners or temple flags indicate collective participation.

Characters & Entities

• Nāgara (region/people)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Scriptural devotion is practical: regular reading and faithful listening to māhātmyas sustains dharma and strengthens bhakti.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The Dhārā/Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra tīrtha setting in the Nāgara Khaṇḍa, recommended for special attention by local devotees.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pāṭha (reading/recitation) and śravaṇa (listening) performed with prabhakti (devoted faith).