Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

सदाहमष्टसंयुक्तं सहस्रं शिवसन्निधौ । जपामि शिवमंत्रस्य षडक्षरमितस्य च

Transliteration

sadāhamaṣṭasaṃyuktaṃ sahasraṃ śivasannidhau | japāmi śivamaṃtrasya ṣaḍakṣaramitasya ca

Translation

Stets, in der unmittelbaren Gegenwart Śivas, vollziehe ich Japa: tausendmal, verbunden mit weiteren acht; und ich singe auch das sechssilbige Maß von Śivas Mantra.

Word by Word

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय — adverb ‘always’

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative ‘I’

• अष्टसंयुक्तम्: combined with eight (i.e., with eight added)
• अष्टसंयुक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + संयुक्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular (agreeing with सहस्रम्); तृतीया/सप्तमी-भावार्थक तत्पुरुषः ‘combined with eight’ (अष्टभिः संयुक्तम्)

• सहस्रम्: a thousand
• सहस्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular

• शिवसन्निधौ: in the presence of Śiva
• शिवसन्निधौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — Locative singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य सन्निधिः)

• जपामि: I recite, I mutter
• जपामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन — ‘I recite’

• शिवमन्त्रस्य: of the Śiva-mantra
• शिवमन्त्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन — Genitive singular; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समासः ‘Śiva-mantra’

• षडक्षरमितस्य: of the six-syllabled (one)
• षडक्षरमितस्य: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षट् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक) + मित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन — Genitive singular (agreeing with शिवमन्त्रस्य); तत्पुरुषः ‘measured as six syllables’ (षडक्षरैः मितः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय — ‘and’

Speaker

The muni (unnamed) explaining his practice

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śiva-sannidhi (generic Śiva-kṣetra context)

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage seated near a Śiva-liṅga or shrine threshold, counting beads; a lamp burns steadily; the atmosphere is intimate and disciplined, emphasizing fixed-count repetition.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steady japa performed with devotion in Śiva’s presence is upheld as a direct path to spiritual power and stability.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; “Śiva’s presence” suggests a sanctified Śaiva setting (temple/holy seat) within a Mahātmya context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Regular japa of a Śiva mantra described as ṣaḍakṣara (six-syllabled), with a count expressed as “a thousand combined with eight.”