Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

अथ सा निजयूथस्य सदाग्रे तृणवांछया । भ्रममाणा निकुञ्जांते लिंगं देवस्य शूलिनः

Transliteration

atha sā nijayūthasya sadāgre tṛṇavāṃchayā | bhramamāṇā nikuñjāṃte liṃgaṃ devasya śūlinaḥ

Translation

Dann zog sie, an der Spitze ihrer eigenen Herde auf der Suche nach Gras, umher, gelangte an den Rand eines Hains und begegnete dort dem Liṅga des Herrn, der den Dreizack trägt (Śiva).

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमसूचक/सम्बन्धबोधक (then/now)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (she)

• निज: own
• निज: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; विशेषण (own) — ‘यूथस्य’ इति विशेष्यस्य

• यूथस्य: of (her) herd
• यूथस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यूथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (of the herd/flock)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (always)

• अग्रे: in front
• अग्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग; सप्तमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययवत् (in front/ahead)

• तृण: grass
• तृण: Karma (Object within compound/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (grass)

• वाञ्छया: by desire
• वाञ्छया: Karana/Hetu (Instrument/Cause/करण-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाञ्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; हेतु/निमित्त (by/with desire)

• तृणवाञ्छया: with desire for grass
• तृणवाञ्छया: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृण + वाञ्छा (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तृणस्य वाञ्छा) = grass-desire

• भ्रममाणा: wandering
• भ्रममाणा: Karta (Agent participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (wandering)

• निकुञ्ज: grove
• निकुञ्ज: Adhikarana (Location within compound/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निकुञ्ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (grove)

• अन्ते: at the end
• अन्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (at the end)

• निकुञ्जान्ते: at the end of the grove
• निकुञ्जान्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निकुञ्ज + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (निकुञ्जस्य अन्ते)

• लिङ्गम्: the liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (liṅga/emblem)

• देवस्य: of the god
• देवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (of the god)

• शूलिनः: of Śūlin (trident-bearer)
• शूलिनः: Sambandha (Genitive apposition/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; विशेषण-नाम (of the trident-bearer)

Speaker

Narrator (within the Purāṇic dialogue; exact named speaker not in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas (dvijāḥ) addressed in the surrounding narration

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cow at the head of her herd reaches the edge of a dense grove; half-hidden among roots and leaf-shadow stands a Śiva-liṅga, calm yet commanding, suggesting a self-manifest presence.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Śūlin)
• Śiva-liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even simple, natural movements can lead to divine encounter; sacred places reveal themselves through providence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kalaśeśvara liṅga within the Śrī Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra narrative landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit injunction; it sets the scene for liṅga-related worship (abhiṣeka) that follows.