Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

ततोऽभीष्टां समासाद्य देवतां शिक्यमाश्रितः । उदकं जलमध्ये च तदर्थं प्रक्षिपेद्द्रुतम्

Transliteration

tato'bhīṣṭāṃ samāsādya devatāṃ śikyamāśritaḥ | udakaṃ jalamadhye ca tadarthaṃ prakṣipeddrutam

Translation

Dann, zur gewünschten Gottheit hingehend und sich auf die Schlinge (die hängende Waage) stützend, soll man für dieses Ritual die Wasseropfergabe sogleich mitten ins Wasser werfen.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kāla/Anantarya (Sequence/अनन्तर्य)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रमवाचक) — ‘then’

• अभीष्टाम्: desired
• अभीष्टाम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभीष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — Accusative singular; देवताम् विशेषयति

• समासाद्य: having approached
• समासाद्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-आ-सद् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerund) — ‘having approached/reached’

• देवताम्: deity
• देवताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — Accusative singular

• शिक्यम्: sling/bag
• शिक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — Accusative singular

• आश्रितः: having taken (it)
• आश्रितः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-श्रि (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — ‘having taken hold of/resorted to’

• उदकम्: water
• उदकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — Accusative singular

• जलमध्ये: in the middle of the water
• जलमध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन — Locative singular

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय) — conjunction

• तदर्थम्: for that purpose
• तदर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास, अव्ययभावे — ‘for that purpose’

• प्रक्षिपेत्: should cast
• प्रक्षिपेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन — ‘should throw/cast’

• द्रुतम्: quickly
• द्रुतम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्रुतम् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (रीतिवाचक) — adverb ‘quickly’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King/श्रेष्ठ पुरुष (narottama)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The donor, still supported by the sling-balance, approaches a shrine or deity-image near the water and casts a water-offering into the center of the water.

Characters & Entities

• Devatā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual charity becomes complete when it is aligned with deity-invocation and proper ceremonial offering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A tīrtha context is implied, but the exact site name is not present in this verse alone.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Approach the chosen deity, use the suspended balance/sling, and offer water into the water as part of the rite.