Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

तथा तेषां समाचारं प्रभावं चैव सूतज । दानं वापि यथाकालं मंत्रांश्च विस्तराद्वद

Transliteration

tathā teṣāṃ samācāraṃ prabhāvaṃ caiva sūtaja | dānaṃ vāpi yathākālaṃ maṃtrāṃśca vistarādvada

Translation

«Und ebenso, o Sohn des Sūta, sprich ausführlich über ihre rechten Observanzen und ihre heilige Wirkkraft, ebenso über die rechtzeitigen Gaben und die Mantras.»

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — ‘तथा/एवम्’ (adverb: thus)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन — ‘of them’

• समाचारम्: conduct, practice
• समाचारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समाचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन — ‘conduct’

• प्रभावम्: power, efficacy
• प्रभावम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन — ‘power, efficacy’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक-निपात) — conjunction ‘and’

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण-निपात) — emphatic particle ‘indeed/just’

• सूतज: O son of Sūta
• सूतज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूतज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन — ‘O son of Sūta’

• दानम्: gift, donation
• दानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन — ‘gift, donation’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (विकल्प-निपात) — ‘or’

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Addition/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/अपि-निपात) — ‘also/even’

• यथा-कालम्: at the proper time
• यथा-कालम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (क्रियाविशेषण) — ‘यथाकालम्’ = ‘at the proper time’

• मन्त्रान्: mantras
• मन्त्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), बहुवचन — ‘mantras’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक-निपात) — ‘and’

• विस्तरात्: in detail
• विस्तरात्: Sambandha (Adverbial/प्रकार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/ablative), एकवचन — ‘in detail/at length’ (ablative of manner)

• वद: tell, speak
• वद: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन — ‘speak/tell’

Speaker

Sages (ṛṣayaḥ)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A petitioner addresses the ‘son of Sūta’ asking for detailed observances, powers, timely charities, and mantras; visual motifs include offering trays, rosaries, and a manuscript of mantras.

Characters & Entities

• Sūtaja (address to Sūta)
• Dāna
• Mantra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha-benefits mature through disciplined observance (samācāra), right timing, and dharmic giving (dāna), supported by mantra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The same kṣetra under discussion in Adhyāya 271; the verse requests the site’s ritual and mantra framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Timely dāna (charity according to proper occasions) and the use of mantras; details are requested to be given “in full.”