Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 77

Devanagari script

मा व्रजस्व परं तीर्थं परिजानन्नपि स्वयम् । हाटकेश्वरजं क्षेत्रमेतत्पुण्यतरं स्मृतम्

Transliteration

mā vrajasva paraṃ tīrthaṃ parijānannapi svayam | hāṭakeśvarajaṃ kṣetrametatpuṇyataraṃ smṛtam

Translation

Geh nicht zu einem anderen höchsten Tīrtha, auch wenn du die Tīrthas selbst kennst. Dieses heilige Kṣetra des Hāṭakeśvara gilt in der Überlieferung als noch verdienstvoller.

Word by Word

• मा: do not
• मा: Pratiṣedha (Prohibition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (prohibitive particle)

• व्रजस्व: go
• व्रजस्व: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• परम्: other, further
• परम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (तीर्थम्)

• तीर्थम्: pilgrimage place, sacred ford
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परिजानन्: knowing
• परिजानन्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Concomitant action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘knowing’

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (even/also)

• स्वयम्: oneself
• स्वयम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (reflexive adverb)

• हाटकेश्वरजम्: born of/pertaining to Hāṭakeśvara
• हाटकेश्वरजम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हाटकेश्वर-ज (प्रातिपदिक; हाटकेश्वर + ज)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (क्षेत्रम्)

• क्षेत्रम्: sacred region, field
• क्षेत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (क्षेत्रम्)

• पुण्यतरम्: more meritorious, holier
• पुण्यतरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्यतर (प्रातिपदिक; पुण्य + तर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative)

• स्मृतम्: is considered, is said
• स्मृतम्: Karmaṇi-prayoga predicate (Passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘is said/remembered’

Speaker

A local petitioner/supplicant addressing her lord/husband

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A clear directive scene: the wife gestures toward the Hāṭakeśvara shrine/linga, stopping the husband from departing; a signboard-like inscription ‘Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra’ could be imagined; pilgrims in the background emphasize the site’s fame.

Characters & Entities

• Hāṭakeśvara
• Hāṭakeśvaraja-kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse emphasizes steadfastness in an especially potent sacred place rather than restless pilgrimage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (hāṭakeśvarajaṃ kṣetram).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; the instruction is to remain and honor the superior sanctity of this kṣetra.