Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

यैर्येर्नरैर्निशेशस्य प्रासादो विहितः क्षितौ । तेते मुक्तिपदं प्राप्ताः कृत्वाऽथ शुभसंचयम्

Transliteration

yairyernarairniśeśasya prāsādo vihitaḥ kṣitau | tete muktipadaṃ prāptāḥ kṛtvā'tha śubhasaṃcayam

Translation

Welche Menschen auch immer auf Erden einen Palast‑Tempel für den Herrn der Nacht errichtet haben – eben diese gelangen zum Stand der Befreiung (Moksha), nachdem sie einen Schatz heilsamen Verdienstes gesammelt haben.

Word by Word

• यैः: by whom
• यैः: Karta (Agent; instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; ‘by whom’

• यैः: by those (very)
• यैः: Karta (Agent; instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; पुनरुक्ति (emphatic repetition)

• नरैः: by men
• नरैः: Karta (Agent; instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• निशेशस्य: of the lord of the night
• निशेशस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; ‘निशायाः ईशः’ = lord of the night (Moon/Soma)

• प्रासादः: palace/temple
• प्रासादः: Karma (Object; in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रासाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• विहितः: constructed; arranged
• विहितः: Kriyā (Predicate; passive sense)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि—‘has been made/constructed’

• क्षितौ: on the earth
• क्षितौ: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• ते: those (indeed)
• ते: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; पुनरुक्ति (emphasis)

• मुक्तिपदम्: the state of liberation
• मुक्तिपदम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘मुक्तेः पदम्’ = state/abode of liberation

• प्राप्ताः: attained
• प्राप्ताः: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP used predicatively), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘have attained’

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Converb; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; ‘having done’

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle; sequence)

• शुभसंचयम्: a store of merit
• शुभसंचयम्: Karma (Object of कृत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ + संचय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘शुभः संचयः’ = accumulation of merit (karmic good)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Niśeśa/Soma-prāsāda (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas/dvijas

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A completed Soma-prāsāda gleams under moonlight; the donor-family stands with folded hands as priests perform consecration; a subtle symbolic ascent (light path) suggests liberation attained through śubha-saṃcaya.

Characters & Entities

• Candra (Niśeśa)
• Mukti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Selfless sacred construction dedicated to the deity becomes a direct cause for great merit culminating in liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha context is Candra/Soma-centered; the verse highlights the act (Candra-prāsāda construction) more than a named geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Constructing a prāsāda for Candra as a highly meritorious dharmic offering.