Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

ततो नागं समारुह्य धृत्वा वंशं करे निजे । मृगचर्माग्रसंयुक्तं तोयमध्ये व्यवस्थितः

Transliteration

tato nāgaṃ samāruhya dhṛtvā vaṃśaṃ kare nije | mṛgacarmāgrasaṃyuktaṃ toyamadhye vyavasthitaḥ

Translation

Darauf bestieg er die Nāga und hielt in seiner eigenen Hand einen Bambusstab, dessen Spitze mit einer Hirschhaut versehen war, und stellte sich mitten in die Wasser.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): thereafter

• नागम्: the serpent
• नागम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (accusative sg)

• समारुह्य: having mounted
• समारुह्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund): having mounted

• धृत्वा: having held
• धृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund): having held

• वंशम्: a bamboo staff
• वंशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (accusative sg)

• करे: in (his) hand
• करे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (locative sg)

• निजे: own
• निजे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘करे’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• मृगचर्माग्रसंयुक्तम्: joined with the tip of a deerskin
• मृगचर्माग्रसंयुक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + चर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः: ‘मृगचर्मस्य अग्रेण संयुक्तम्’ (joined with the tip of a deerskin)

• तोयमध्ये: in the middle of the water
• तोयमध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोय (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘तोयस्य मध्ये’ इति सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः

• व्यवस्थितः: stood/was stationed
• व्यवस्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + अव + स्था (धातु) / व्यवस्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; स्थित-भावः

Speaker

Narrative voice (contextual, unspecified in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Hari mounts a great serpent as a living vehicle, holds a bamboo staff whose tip is fitted with deer-hide, and stands poised in the middle of the sacred waters to perform a signaling act.

Characters & Entities

• Nāga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha-rituals are performed with disciplined preparation; the narrative highlights careful observance around sacred waters.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A sacred water-body within Nāgara Khaṇḍa’s Tīrtha-māhātmya (Adhyāya 190), presented as a powerful setting for purification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A preparatory bathing posture/arrangement in the water, using a bamboo staff with deer-hide attached—part of the described rite.