Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

इत्युक्त्वा ता परिक्रम्य तस्या देहे लयं गतः । साऽपि गर्भे दधाराथ सुरभिस्तदनन्तरम्

Transliteration

ityuktvā tā parikramya tasyā dehe layaṃ gataḥ | sā'pi garbhe dadhārātha surabhistadanantaram

Translation

So sprach er, umschritt sie in Pradakṣiṇā und ging dann in die Auflösung (laya) in ihrem Leib ein. Darauf empfing Surabhī ihn in ihrem Schoß.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Discourse marker (Avyaya/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक/उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• ताः: them
• ताः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• परिक्रम्य: having circumambulated
• परिक्रम्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (ल्यप्) अव्यय (absolutive); अर्थः—परिक्रम्य = having circumambulated

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• देहे: in (her) body
• देहे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• लयम्: dissolution/merging
• लयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• गतः: went/entered
• गतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अपि: also
• अपि: Particle (Avyaya/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कार (also/even)

• गर्भे: in the womb
• गर्भे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• दधार: bore/held
• दधार: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse marker (Avyaya/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• सुरभिः: Surabhi
• सुरभिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• तत्: thereafter/then
• तत्: Adverbial (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म) एकवचन; सर्वनाम; (अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः—‘तत्’ = then/thereafter)

• अनन्तरम्: immediately after
• अनन्तरम्: Adverbial (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् अव्ययप्रयोगः; क्रियाविशेषण (immediately after)

Speaker

Narrator (within Brahma–Nārada Saṃvāda frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee completes circumambulation around Surabhi/Devī, then his form becomes a stream of light entering her body; in the next moment, Surabhi is shown with a luminous womb, signifying conception and impending restoration.

Characters & Entities

• Surabhi
• Deveśa (implied)
• Devi (implied)
• Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Circumambulation and surrender culminate in divine reconstitution—symbolizing protection and rebirth under sacred, goddess-centered power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative is part of the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya in Nāgara Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Parikramā (circumambulation) is explicitly mentioned, presented as an act of reverence within the sacred narrative.