Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

हिरण्यकशिपौ प्राप्ते मृत्युलोकं सुहृद्गणैः । अमात्यैश्च ततः प्रोक्तः प्रह्लादो विनयान्वितैः

Transliteration

hiraṇyakaśipau prāpte mṛtyulokaṃ suhṛdgaṇaiḥ | amātyaiśca tataḥ proktaḥ prahlādo vinayānvitaiḥ

Translation

When Hiraṇyakaśipu departed to the world of death, Prahlāda was then addressed by his circle of friends and by ministers endowed with humility and decorum.

Word by Word

• हिरण्यकशिपौ: in/when (the case of) Hiraṇyakaśipu
• हिरण्यकशिपौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्यकशिपु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरणे (locative absolute context)

• प्राप्ते: having arrived / when (he) arrived
• प्राप्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्राप् (धातु) → प्राप्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; लोकेटिव्-अब्सोल्यूट (सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)

• मृत्युलोकम्: to the mortal world
• मृत्युलोकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्युलोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: मृत्युः + लोकः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म

• सुहृद्गणैः: by/with groups of friends
• सुहृद्गणैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुहृद्गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: सुहृत् + गण (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; करण/सहकारि

• अमात्यैः: by/with ministers
• अमात्यैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमात्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; सहकारि

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तरार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: then/thereafter)

• प्रोक्तः: was addressed/was spoken (to)
• प्रोक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थ (said/declared)

• प्रह्लादः: Prahlāda
• प्रह्लादः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्ता/विषय (subject)

• विनयान्वितैः: endowed with humility
• विनयान्वितैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनय + अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक; अन्वित = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: विनयेन अन्वित (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-समास); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; विशेषण (सूहृद्गणैः/अमात्यैः)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/assembly (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A court in subdued tones after the king’s death; ministers and friends, hands folded, respectfully addressing Prahlāda seated calmly, suggesting a devotional steadiness amid grief.

Characters & Entities

• Hiraṇyakaśipu
• Prahlāda
• Ministers (Amātyas)
• Suhṛts (well-wishers)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It highlights impermanence and the dharmic necessity of wise counsel at moments of political transition.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this verse; it forms part of the chapter’s narrative frame within Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is stated in this verse.