Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

सिंहासने निवेश्याथ तं मुनिं पार्थिवोत्तमः । उपविष्टो धरापृष्ठे कृतांजलिपुटः स्थितः

Transliteration

siṃhāsane niveśyātha taṃ muniṃ pārthivottamaḥ | upaviṣṭo dharāpṛṣṭhe kṛtāṃjalipuṭaḥ sthitaḥ

Translation

Nachdem der beste der Könige den Weisen, den Muni, auf den Thron gesetzt hatte, setzte er sich selbst auf die Erde und verharrte mit gefalteten Händen in ehrfürchtiger Verehrung.

Word by Word

• सिंहासने: on the throne
• सिंहासने: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंहासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन (Locative singular)

• निवेश्य: having seated
• निवेश्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि+विश् (धातु) + ल्यप् (ल्यबन्त)
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिकक्रिया (having seated/placed)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha-sūcaka (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/सम्बन्धसूचक (particle: then/now)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• मुनिम्: the sage
• मुनिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• पार्थिवोत्तमः: the best of kings
• पार्थिवोत्तमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन (Nominative singular); कर्मधारयः (उत्तमः पार्थिवः)

• उपविष्टः: seated
• उपविष्टः: Karta (Subject predicate/कर्तृवाचक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप+विश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘having sat/being seated’

• धरापृष्ठे: on the earth’s surface
• धरापृष्ठे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरा (प्रातिपदिक) + पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धरायाः पृष्ठे)

• कृताञ्जलिपुटः: with hands joined in reverence
• कृताञ्जलिपुटः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ धातु, क्त) + अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक) + पुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (कृतः अञ्जलिपुटः यस्य) — विशेषणम्

• स्थितः: stood/was stationed
• स्थितः: Karta (Subject predicate/कर्तृवाचक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘standing/remaining’

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā (Satyānāmikā)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sage seated on a grand lion-throne; the king seated on the floor below, hands folded, gaze uplifted; courtiers stand at a respectful distance; lamps illuminate the hall.

Characters & Entities

• Rohitāśva
• Mārkaṇḍeya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse teaches that true greatness is humility: worldly rank bows before spiritual realization.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting remains Ayodhyā, whose dharmic atmosphere is reflected in the king’s reverence for a visiting sage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A dharmic norm is modeled: offer the best seat to a holy guest and maintain a respectful posture (añjali) while listening.