Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

सौबलेन च कर्णेन तथान्यैरपि पार्थिवैः । परिवारपरित्यक्तैस्तस्मिन्क्षेत्रे चचार सः

Transliteration

saubalena ca karṇena tathānyairapi pārthivaiḥ | parivāraparityaktaistasminkṣetre cacāra saḥ

Translation

Mit Śaubala (Śakuni) und Karṇa sowie auch mit anderen Königen wanderte er in jenem heiligen Gebiet umher, nachdem sie ihre königlichen Gefolgschaften beiseitegelassen hatten.

Word by Word

• सौबलेन: by Saubala (Śakuni)
• सौबलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कर्णेन: by Karṇa
• कर्णेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• तथा: likewise, also
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• अन्यैः: by other
• अन्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural; विशेषण

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle)

• पार्थिवैः: by kings
• पार्थिवैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• परिवारपरित्यक्तैः: by (those) abandoned by their retinues
• परिवारपरित्यक्तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परिवार + परित्यक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘परि+त्यज्’ → परित्यक्त; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (परिवारस्य परित्यक्ताः) ‘abandoned by retinue’; Instrumental plural; विशेषण (पार्थिवैः)

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (सन्दर्भानुसार), सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular

• क्षेत्रे: in the sacred field/place
• क्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular

• चचार: wandered, moved about
• चचार: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; Perfect, 3rd person singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun, nominative singular

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Tīrthamāhātmya; exact speaker not explicit in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śakuni and Karṇa, along with other kings, walk unaccompanied by chariots or banners, carrying only essentials, moving through a sacred tract with tīrtha signposts and hermitages.

Characters & Entities

• Śakuni (Śaubala)
• Karṇa
• other kings
• kṣetra (holy region)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

At a tīrtha, status is softened—pilgrims relinquish display and move with simplicity to receive the kṣetra’s merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The kṣetra being toured in Adhyāya 72; its name is not provided in this verse alone.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A conduct-rule: parivāra-parityāga—setting aside large retinues while moving within the sacred area.