Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

त्रिशंकुर्नाम राजेंद्रश्चंडालत्वं समागतः । तत्र स्नातः पुनर्लेभे शरीरं पार्थिवोचितम्

Transliteration

triśaṃkurnāma rājeṃdraścaṃḍālatvaṃ samāgataḥ | tatra snātaḥ punarlebhe śarīraṃ pārthivocitam

Translation

Ein König namens Triśaṅku geriet in den Zustand eines Caṇḍāla (Ausgestoßenen). Doch nachdem er dort gebadet hatte, erlangte er wieder einen Leib, der eines Königs würdig war.

Word by Word

• triśaṃkuḥ: Triśaṅku
• triśaṃkuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: triśaṃku (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• nāma: by name
• nāma: Apposition marker (नामनिर्देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोग (नाम-शब्दः ‘by name’ अर्थे)

• rājendraḥ: king of kings
• rājendraḥ: Apposition to subject (समाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāja + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (राज्ञाम् इन्द्रः)

• caṇḍālatvam: the state of being a caṇḍāla
• caṇḍālatvam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caṇḍāla + tva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; भाववाचक (abstract noun)

• samāgataḥ: having attained
• samāgataḥ: Predicate complement (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam + ā + gam (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि भूतकृदन्त (PPP used in active sense: ‘having attained/come to’)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय

• snātaḥ: having bathed
• snātaḥ: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: snā (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि भूतकृदन्त (having bathed)

• punar: again
• punar: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरित्यव्ययम् (adverb)

• lebhe: obtained
• lebhe: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: labh (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• śarīram: body
• śarīram: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• pārthiva-ucitam: befitting a king
• pārthiva-ucitam: Adjective of object (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pārthiva + ucita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (pārthivasya ucitam = fit for a king)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Triśaṅku, initially shown in distressed, degraded condition, steps into the sacred waters; as he emerges, his form becomes radiant and regal—crowned, clothed as a king—while sages witness the transformation at the tīrtha bank.

Characters & Entities

• Triśaṅku
• Tīrtha (implicit)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha’s purifying power can reverse even extreme disgrace, restoring one’s rightful state through sacred bathing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A Nāgara Khaṇḍa tīrtha where Triśaṅku bathed and was purified; the specific name is not given in this excerpt.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (ritual bathing) at the tīrtha is presented as transformative and purifying.