Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

शालिग्रामशिला यस्यां भूमौ संपूज्यते नृभिः । पञ्चक्रोशं पुनात्येषा अपि पापशतान्वितैः

Transliteration

śāligrāmaśilā yasyāṃ bhūmau saṃpūjyate nṛbhiḥ | pañcakrośaṃ punātyeṣā api pāpaśatānvitaiḥ

Translation

Das Land, auf dem Menschen den Śālagrāma-Stein in rechter Weise verehren—dieser heilige Stein reinigt einen Umkreis von fünf Krośas, selbst wenn (die Bewohner) mit Hunderten von Sünden beladen sind.

Word by Word

• śāligrāmaśilā: the Śālagrāma stone
• śāligrāmaśilā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāligrāma (प्रातिपदिक) + śilā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (śāligrāmasya śilā)

• yasyām: in which
• yasyām: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक-सर्वनाम

• bhūmau: on the ground/land
• bhūmau: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• saṃpūjyate: is duly worshipped
• saṃpūjyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + pūj (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive)

• nṛbhiḥ: by men/people
• nṛbhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• pañcakrośam: (an area of) five krośas
• pañcakrośam: Karma (Object/Extent/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañca (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + krośa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (pañca-krośaḥ)

• punāti: purifies
• punāti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pū (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• eṣā: this (place/land)
• eṣā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; निर्देश-सर्वनाम

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha/Particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक (even/also)

• pāpaśatānvitaiḥ: endowed with hundreds of sins
• pāpaśatānvitaiḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + śata (प्रातिपदिक) + anvita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √i/anu+√i?; here adjectival 'endowed with')
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (nṛbhiḥ) ; समासः—pāpaśataiḥ anvitaḥ (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-समासवत्)

Speaker

Gālava

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śālagrāma (as kṣetra-sanitizer wherever worshipped)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Śālagrāma shrine at the center radiates light in expanding circles marking five krośas; surrounding people—some burdened by wrongdoing—are shown becoming purified as they approach.

Characters & Entities

• Śālagrāma-śilā
• pañcakrośa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śālagrāma worship is portrayed as powerfully purifying—not only for individuals but for the surrounding region.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse glorifies any place made sacred by Śālagrāma-śilā worship, describing its radius of purification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Proper worship (saṃpūjā) of Śālagrāma-śilā, bringing regional purification (pañcakrośa).