Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

। सूत उवाच । चमत्कारी पुरा देवी तत्रैवास्ति द्विजोत्तमाः । चमत्कारनरेंद्रेण स्थापिता श्रद्धया पुरा

Transliteration

| sūta uvāca | camatkārī purā devī tatraivāsti dvijottamāḥ | camatkāranareṃdreṇa sthāpitā śraddhayā purā

Translation

Sūta said: O best of the twice-born, in that very place there is the Goddess called Camatkārī. Long ago, the king named Camatkāra स्थापित—installed—her there with faithful devotion.

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• चमत्कारी: wonder-working / miraculous
• चमत्कारी: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चमत्कारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषण (देवी-शब्दस्य)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kālādhi karaṇa (Temporal adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (indeclinable adverb of time: ‘formerly’)

• देवी: the Goddess
• देवी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (there)

• एव: indeed / just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (particle of emphasis: ‘indeed/just’)

• अस्ति: is / exists
• अस्ति: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• द्विजोत्तमाः: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजोत्तमाः: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज-उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थेऽपि प्रयोगः (used as address though nominative form)

• चमत्कारनरेन्द्रेण: by (the king) Cāmatkāra-narendra
• चमत्कारनरेन्द्रेण: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चमत्कार-नरेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental 3rd); एकवचन

• स्थापिता: was established
• स्थापिता: Kriyā (Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; ‘देवी’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• श्रद्धया: with faith / devotion
• श्रद्धया: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kālādhi karaṇa (Temporal adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (formerly)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Camatkārī-devī-sthāna (within Somēśvara tīrtha region)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija-uttamāḥ (Naimiṣāraṇya sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sūta narrates as a king named Camatkāra installs the goddess Camatkārī in a newly sanctified shrine; priests chant, lamps blaze, and the Devī’s icon radiates protective power.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Camatkārī Devī
• King Camatkāra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Faithful स्थापना (installation) and remembrance of a deity at a sacred site becomes a lasting source of protection and merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A local Nāgara-khaṇḍa tīrtha/settlement is indicated as the abode of Camatkārī Devī, though the verse names the goddess more than the place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The act of स्थापना—establishing a deity with śraddhā (faith)—is highlighted as a meritorious sacred act.