Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

ततः कलशतोयं स साक्षतं सुमनोन्वितम् । गृहीत्वोपाद्रवत्तत्र यत्र राजा व्यवस्थितः

Transliteration

tataḥ kalaśatoyaṃ sa sākṣataṃ sumanonvitam | gṛhītvopādravattatra yatra rājā vyavasthitaḥ

Translation

Dann nahm er Wasser aus dem Kalaśa (Ritualgefäß), zusammen mit Akṣata (ungebrochenen Reiskörnern) und mit Blumen geschmückt, und eilte zu dem Ort, wo der König stand.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (ततः)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तरार्थक (then/thereafter)

• kalaśatoyam: water from a pot
• kalaśatoyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalaśa (प्रातिपदिक) + toya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) — ‘कलशस्य तोयम्’

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• sa-akṣatam: with unbroken rice grains
• sa-akṣatam: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akṣata (प्रातिपदिक) with sa- (सह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; उपसर्गसदृश ‘स-’ (with) + विशेषण (kalaśatoyaṃ इति विशेष्यस्य)

• sumanonvitam: accompanied with flowers
• sumanonvitam: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sumanaḥ (प्रातिपदिक) + anvita (√i, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास — ‘सुमनसा अन्वितम्’ (accompanied by flowers)

• gṛhītvā: having taken
• gṛhītvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √grah (ग्रह् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘गृहीत्वा’ = गृहीत्वा (having taken)

• upādravat: ran up/approached quickly
• upādravat: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-√drav (द्रव् धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb: there)

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (relative adverb: where)

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• vyavasthitaḥ: was standing/positioned
• vyavasthitaḥ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-ava-√sthā (स्था धातु) → vyavasthita (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण (rājā इति)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa/ritual attendant lifts a shining kalaśa filled with water, with akṣata and flowers visible, hurrying toward a seated king in a camp-like royal setting.

Characters & Entities

• rājā (king)
• kalaśa (ritual pot)
• akṣata
• flowers (sumanas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred acts are supported by proper ritual substances and prompt, focused execution for the welfare of the community and ruler.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No distinct tīrtha is named in this verse; the setting is the king’s location during the ritual sequence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Use of kalaśa-water with akṣata (unbroken rice) and flowers as ritual accompaniments in the śānti sequence.