Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

स मत्वा सलिलं तत्र पिपासार्तो महीपतिः । प्रतस्थे सत्वरो हृष्टो जलवातहृतक्लमः

Transliteration

sa matvā salilaṃ tatra pipāsārto mahīpatiḥ | pratasthe satvaro hṛṣṭo jalavātahṛtaklamaḥ

Translation

Thinking there was water there, the king—tormented by thirst—set out at once, swift and glad, his weariness eased by the cool breeze and the nearness of the waters.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• मत्वा: having thought/assuming
• मत्वा: Kriyā (Preceding action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु) + त्वा → मत्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया (having thought/considered)

• सलिलम्: water
• सलिलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सलिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (Place/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• पिपासार्तः: afflicted with thirst
• पिपासार्तः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिपासा (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) → पिपासार्त (समास/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (पिपासया आर्तः = afflicted by thirst); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महीपतिः: the king
• महीपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक) → महीपति (समास/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (महेः पतिः = lord of the earth); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रतस्थे: set out, started forth
• प्रतस्थे: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद-परिप्रयोगे आत्मनेपद-रूपम्; perfect); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• सत्वरः: quickly, in haste
• सत्वरः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (hasty/quick)

• हृष्टः: delighted
• हृष्टः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष् (धातु) + क्त → हृष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जलवातहृतक्लमः: whose weariness was removed by the cool breeze from the water
• जलवातहृतक्लमः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + वात (प्रातिपदिक) + हृत (कृदन्त) + क्लम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास (जलवातेन हृतः क्लमः यस्य = whose fatigue is removed by the water-breeze); बहुव्रीह्यर्थे प्रयोगः; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in a māhātmya frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king quickens his pace toward shimmering water; his posture shifts from exhaustion to joy as a cool breeze lifts his garments; the sacred landscape seems to draw him in.

Characters & Entities

• mahīpati (king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The longing for water mirrors the soul’s longing for tīrtha—approaching sacred waters relieves fatigue and renews the mind.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A riverine tīrtha is implied; the exact name is not stated in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated; the verse prepares for meeting the āśrama and sages associated with the tīrtha.