Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

ततो देव मया प्रोक्तं तासां तन्मंत्रपंचकम् । शिष्यत्वं गमितानां च वाङ्मनःकायकर्मभिः

Transliteration

tato deva mayā proktaṃ tāsāṃ tanmaṃtrapaṃcakam | śiṣyatvaṃ gamitānāṃ ca vāṅmanaḥkāyakarmabhiḥ

Translation

Darauf, o Herr, lehrte ich sie jenes Mantra-pañcaka der fünf. Und ich nahm sie als Schüler an — durch Wort, Geist und Tat des Leibes.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Temporal/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/अनन्तरार्थक अव्यय (adverb: ‘then’)

• देव: O god
• देव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Vocative, Singular)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental, Singular)

• प्रोक्तम्: was spoken
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriya (Predicative action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) + त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भावे प्रयुक्त (used predicatively: ‘was spoken’)

• तासाम्: of them
• तासाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Genitive, Plural)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Singular)

• मन्त्रपञ्चकम्: the set of five mantras
• मन्त्रपञ्चकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पञ्चक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Neuter, Singular)

• शिष्यत्वम्: discipleship
• शिष्यत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्यत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• गमितानाम्: of those who were led/made to go
• गमितानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) + इत (कृत्-प्रत्यय, णिच्-प्रयोगे)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/इत), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (Masculine, Genitive, Plural)

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

• वाक्: speech
• वाक्: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (compound member; base form)

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (compound member; base form)

• काय: body
• काय: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (compound member; base form)

• कर्मभिः: by actions
• कर्मभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Instrumental, Plural)

Speaker

Lakṣmī (contextual inference; narrative continues into Viṣṇu’s question at 64)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A formal initiation: the teacher imparts the five-mantra set; disciples sit in a row, receiving instruction with sacred thread/rosary; gestures indicate acceptance into discipleship.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True discipleship is holistic—purifying speech, mind, and actions—especially in mantra and worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader passage belongs to the Hāṭakeśvara sacred region (kṣetra) described in Nāgara-khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A five-mantra set (mantra-pañcaka) connected to worship is referenced, implying japa/arcana under guidance.