Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

महेन्द्रो यवमा स्थाय स्थितो भूतहिते रतः । यवस्य सेवनं पुण्यं दर्शनं स्पर्शनं तथा

Transliteration

mahendro yavamā sthāya sthito bhūtahite rataḥ | yavasya sevanaṃ puṇyaṃ darśanaṃ sparśanaṃ tathā

Translation

Mahendra (Indra), in der Gerstenpflanze verweilend, steht dem Wohl der Wesen zugewandt. Der Gebrauch der Gerste ist verdienstvoll; ebenso ihr Anblick und ihre Berührung.

Word by Word

• महेन्द्रः: Mahendra (Indra)
• महेन्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — proper noun (Indra)

• यवमाम्: Yavamā (name of a place/tree)
• यवमाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यवमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — object of ‘स्थाय’ (as ‘having approached/standing by’)

• स्थाय: having stood
• स्थाय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्था (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा/absolutive) → स्थाय
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): ‘having stood/after standing’

• स्थितः: stood
• स्थितः: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त → स्थित
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP): ‘standing/remaining’

• भूतहिते: in the welfare of beings
• भूतहिते: Adhikarana (Sphere/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन — षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘भूतानां हिते’ (in the welfare of beings)

• रतः: engaged
• रतः: Visheshana (Qualifier of Mahendra/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम् (धातु) + क्त → रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — ‘engaged/delighting’

• यवस्य: of barley
• यवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन — ‘of barley’

• सेवनम्: partaking
• सेवनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेव् (धातु) + ल्युट् → सेवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — act of using/partaking

• पुण्यम्: meritorious
• पुण्यम्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — qualifying ‘सेवनम्’

• दर्शनम्: seeing
• दर्शनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + ल्युट् → दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — seeing

• स्पर्शनम्: touching
• स्पर्शनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु) + ल्युट् → स्पर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — touching

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — ‘also/likewise’

Speaker

Unspecified (Tīrthamāhātmya narrator within Nāgarakhaṇḍa; likely a Purāṇic narrator addressing a listener)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra (Mahendra) subtly present within a barley plant; a pilgrim reverently beholds and touches the barley, suggesting unseen divinity inhabiting the natural world.

Characters & Entities

• Mahendra (Indra)
• Yava (barley)
• Bhūtahita (welfare of beings)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine presence is envisioned as immanent in sacred grains and plants, making reverent engagement with them a source of merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific geographical tīrtha is named; the verse praises yava (barley) through its association with Indra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Engage with barley (yava) as a meritorious substance—through use, sight, and touch—within the chapter’s broader ritual context.