Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

यत्रास्ते मुनिशार्दूलो देवरात इति स्मृतः । व्रतस्वाध्यायसंपन्नस्तपसा ध्वस्तकिल्विषः

Transliteration

yatrāste muniśārdūlo devarāta iti smṛtaḥ | vratasvādhyāyasaṃpannastapasā dhvastakilviṣaḥ

Translation

Dort weilte ein großer Muni, ein Tiger unter den Weisen, bekannt als Devarāta—vollendet in Gelübden und heiligem Selbststudium (svādhyāya), dessen Sünden durch Askese verbrannt waren.

Word by Word

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: 'where')

• आस्ते: sits; remains
• आस्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), आत्मनेपद

• मुनिशार्दूलः: tiger among sages
• मुनिशार्दूलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + शार्दूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मुनिनां शार्दूलः)

• देवरातः: Devarāta
• देवरातः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवरात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक (quotative particle)

• स्मृतः: is known/called
• स्मृतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थः ('is called/remembered')

• व्रतस्वाध्यायसंपन्नः: endowed with vows and self-study
• व्रतस्वाध्यायसंपन्नः: Visheshana (Adjectival to subject/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वाध्याय (प्रातिपदिक) + संपन्न (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः (व्रत-स्वाध्यायैः संपन्नः)

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• ध्वस्तकिल्विषः: whose sins are destroyed
• ध्वस्तकिल्विषः: Visheshana (Adjectival to subject/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्वस्त (कृदन्त) + किल्विष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः (ध्वस्तं किल्विषं यस्य) — बहुव्रीह्यर्थे प्रयोगः

Speaker

Narrator (Brāhmaṇa Vatsa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene riverbank hermitage scene: Devarāta, radiant from austerity, seated in meditation with japa-mālā and palm-leaf manuscripts nearby; forest trees and a calm flowing river establish the tīrtha atmosphere.

Characters & Entities

• Devarāta
• Vrata
• Svādhyāya
• Tapas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Vrata, svādhyāya, and tapas are portrayed as purifying forces that destroy moral impurity and establish spiritual authority.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse points to the hermitage-region within the Kāmyaka forest setting; the tīrtha’s broader glory is articulated through the episode that follows.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It commends vrata (vowed observances) and svādhyāya (scriptural recitation/study) as sustaining practices.