Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

निवेश्य नगरं सोमः श्रीसोमेश्वरसन्निधौ । स्वकर्मणां प्रचारार्थमथाभ्यर्थयत द्विजान्

Transliteration

niveśya nagaraṃ somaḥ śrīsomeśvarasannidhau | svakarmaṇāṃ pracārārthamathābhyarthayata dvijān

Translation

Nachdem Soma in unmittelbarer Gegenwart Śrī Someśvaras eine Stadt gegründet hatte, bat er die Dvijas (Zweimalgeborenen), damit ihre eigenen heiligen Pflichten sich festigten und erblühten.

Word by Word

• निवेश्य: having settled/established
• निवेश्य: Kriya-viseshana (पूर्वकर्म/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-विश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), धातु: विश्, उपसर्ग: नि-; क्रियाविशेषणभावेन

• नगरम्: the city
• नगरम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नगर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• सोमः: Soma
• सोमः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• श्रीसोमेश्वरसन्निधौ: in the presence of Śrī Someśvara
• श्रीसोमेश्वरसन्निधौ: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + सोमेश्वर + सन्निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सन्निधि-शब्दः पुंलिङ्गः), सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; समासः: श्रीसोमेश्वरस्य सन्निधौ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• स्वकर्मणाम्: of (his) own duties/acts
• स्वकर्मणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः: स्वं कर्म (कर्मधारय)

• प्रचारार्थम्: for the purpose of propagation
• प्रचारार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रचार + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; समासः: प्रचारस्य अर्थम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); प्रयोजनार्थे (purpose)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• अभ्यर्थयत्: requested/entreated
• अभ्यर्थयत्: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-अर्थय् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; धातु: अर्थय् (चुरादि), उपसर्ग: अभि-

• द्विजान्: the Brahmins
• द्विजान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Narrator (within Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya; traditionally Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa addressing sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śrī Someśvara (Somnātha) at Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Soma lays out a city plan beside the Someshvara shrine; brāhmaṇas arrive with scriptures and ritual implements; the city’s streets align toward the temple, symbolizing dharma’s centrality.

Characters & Entities

• Soma
• Śrī Someśvara
• Dvija (Brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A holy place is strengthened when communities are organized around dharma—supporting those who uphold ritual, teaching, and sacred conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śrī Someśvara at Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where the city is said to be established.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The propagation and regular performance of sva-karmas—Vedic rites and prescribed duties—through inviting dvijas to reside and serve.