Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

तथा या योषितः काश्चित्पुरद्वारं समेत्य च । अदृष्टहास्यमाध्याय क्षपिष्यंति बलिं ततः

Transliteration

tathā yā yoṣitaḥ kāścitpuradvāraṃ sametya ca | adṛṣṭahāsyamādhyāya kṣapiṣyaṃti baliṃ tataḥ

Translation

Ebenso werden einige Frauen zum Stadttor kommen, ein verborgenes Lachen als Schleier annehmend, und dann das bali (rituelle Opfergabe) darbringen.

Word by Word

• तथा: likewise, thus
• तथा: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण

• या: who (she who)
• या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक

• योषितः: women
• योषितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योषित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• काश्चित्: some
• काश्चित्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; अनिर्दिष्टा (some)

• पुरद्वारम्: the city-gate
• पुरद्वारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर + द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (पुरस्य द्वारम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• समेत्य: having approached
• समेत्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having approached)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• अदृष्टहास्यम्: unseen laughter (secret laughter)
• अदृष्टहास्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदृष्ट + हास्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (अदृष्टं हास्यम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आध्याय: having meditated/mentally recited
• आध्याय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘आध्याय’ = ‘आध्याय्य/आध्याय’ (having meditated/recited mentally)

• क्षपिष्यन्ति: they will destroy/remove
• क्षपिष्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षप् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• बलिम्: offering, tribute
• बलिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तरवाचक (thereupon/then)

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (ritual description within the city’s protective cult)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Puradvāra-bali-sthāna (city-gate offering spot)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the city gate at night or dusk, women approach in a group; their laughter is subdued/hidden, serving as a sign; they place bali offerings at the threshold to appease protective powers.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Protective dharma includes boundary-rites; offerings at liminal places (like gates) maintain harmony between humans and unseen powers.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A sacred city setting in Nāgarakhaṇḍa is implied; the focus is the puradvāra (city gate) as a ritual boundary-point.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offering bali at the city gate, performed in a specific manner (with concealed laughter/sign-like behavior).