Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 140

Devanagari script

अहमासं पुरा विप्रः सर्वविद्यासु पारगः । चमत्कारपुरे श्रेष्ठे नाम्ना ख्यातस्तु घंटकः । ब्रह्मचारी दमोपेतो हरपूजार्चने रतः

Transliteration

ahamāsaṃ purā vipraḥ sarvavidyāsu pāragaḥ | camatkārapure śreṣṭhe nāmnā khyātastu ghaṃṭakaḥ | brahmacārī damopeto harapūjārcane rataḥ

Translation

Einst war ich ein Brāhmaṇa, in allen Wissenszweigen vollendet. In der vortrefflichen Stadt namens Cāmatkārapura war ich unter dem Namen Ghaṇṭaka berühmt—als Brahmacārī lebend, von Zucht und Selbstbeherrschung getragen, und der Verehrung und Anbetung Haras (Śivas) hingegeben.

Word by Word

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• āsam: was
• āsam: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• purā: formerly
• purā: Avyaya (Modifier/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (adverb of time)

• vipraḥ: a brāhmaṇa
• vipraḥ: Pradhāna-nāma (Predicate nominal/विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• sarva-vidyāsu: in all sciences/branches of knowledge
• sarva-vidyāsu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + vidyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन; समासः कर्मधारय (sarvāḥ vidyāḥ)

• pāragaḥ: one who has mastered (gone to the far shore)
• pāragaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāraga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणं 'aham/vipraḥ'

• camatkāra-pure: in the city of Camatkāra
• camatkāra-pure: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: camatkāra (प्रातिपदिक) + pura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (camatkārasya puram)

• śreṣṭhe: excellent, best
• śreṣṭhe: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणं 'pure'

• nāmnā: by name
• nāmnā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; साधन/उपाधिवाचक

• khyātaḥ: renowned
• khyātaḥ: Pradhāna-nāma (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: khyāta (कृदन्त; √khyā)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे 'renowned'

• tu: indeed
• tu: Avyaya (Discourse particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधान/विरोधार्थक (particle: 'indeed/but')

• ghaṃṭakaḥ: (named) Ghaṃṭaka
• ghaṃṭakaḥ: Pradhāna-nāma (Apposition/संज्ञा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghaṃṭaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• brahmacārī: a celibate student
• brahmacārī: Pradhāna-nāma (Predicate nominal/विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahmacārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• dama-upetaḥ: endowed with self-control
• dama-upetaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dama (प्रातिपदिक) + upeta (कृदन्त; √i with upa-)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (damena upetaḥ = endowed with self-control)

• hara-pūjā-arcane: in the worship and adoration of Hara (Śiva)
• hara-pūjā-arcane: Adhikarana (Sphere/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hara (प्रातिपदिक) + pūjā (प्रातिपदिक) + arcana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (harasya pūjā-arcanaṃ)

• rataḥ: devoted, engaged
• rataḥ: Pradhāna-nāma (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rata (कृदन्त; √ram)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'engaged/delighting'

Speaker

Ulūka

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Cāmatkārapura (as narrative locale)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Indradyumna

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Flashback: a learned brahmin named Ghaṇṭaka in a prosperous city, living as a disciplined brahmacārin, performing Śiva worship with focused serenity.

Characters & Entities

• Ulūka
• Ghaṇṭaka
• Hara (Śiva)
• Cāmatkārapura

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual strength is rooted in brahmacarya and self-control, and is fulfilled through steady devotion to Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A place-name, Cāmatkārapura, is mentioned as the speaker’s former locale; the verse primarily supports the chapter’s sacred narrative rather than detailing a tīrtha rite there.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Regular worship and offering to Hara (Śiva) is implied as the speaker’s sustained practice.