Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

एतस्मात्कारणाल्लोकाः स्वनामांकानि चक्रिरे । वापीकूपतडागानि देवतायतनानि च

Transliteration

etasmātkāraṇāllokāḥ svanāmāṃkāni cakrire | vāpīkūpataḍāgāni devatāyatanāni ca

Translation

Aus eben diesem Grund schufen die Menschen Gedächtniswerke, die ihren eigenen Namen trugen: Stufenbrunnen, Brunnen, Teiche und auch Tempel als Wohnstätten der Gottheiten.

Word by Word

• एतस्मात्: from this
• एतस्मात्: अपादान (Source/Ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• कारणात्: from the cause/reason
• कारणात्: हेतु/अपादान (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• लोकाः: people
• लोकाः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• स्वनाम-अङ्कानि: inscriptions/marks of their own names
• स्वनाम-अङ्कानि: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + नाम (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य नाम्नः अङ्कानि)

• चक्रिरे: made/created
• चक्रिरे: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• वापी-कूप-तडागानि: wells, stepwells, and ponds
• वापी-कूप-तडागानि: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वापी (प्रातिपदिक) + कूप (प्रातिपदिक) + तडाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (वाप्यश्च कूपाश्च तडागाश्च)

• देवता-आयतनानि: temples/shrines of deities
• देवता-आयतनानि: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक) + आयतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवतायाः आयतनानि)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Indradyumna

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A montage-like vision: devotees and kings commissioning stepwells, wells, ponds, and temples, each bearing inscriptions of names; pilgrims draw water, priests perform worship, and the community thrives.

Characters & Entities

• People (lokāḥ)
• Deities (devatāḥ)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharmic public benefit—especially water resources and temples—creates lasting merit and remembrance that supports spiritual reward.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The verse praises tīrtha-culture broadly (waterworks and temples) rather than a single named location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Establishing vāpīs (stepwells), kūpas (wells), taḍāgas (ponds), and devatāyatanas (temples) as meritorious acts.