Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

अथापश्यत्क्षणेनैव प्रेतसंघैः सभावृतम् । प्रेतमेकं च सर्वेषामाधिपत्ये व्यव स्थितम्

Transliteration

athāpaśyatkṣaṇenaiva pretasaṃghaiḥ sabhāvṛtam | pretamekaṃ ca sarveṣāmādhipatye vyava sthitam

Translation

Then, in an instant, he saw an assembly encircled by hosts of Pretas, and one Preta established in sovereignty over them all.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमसूचक (then)

• अपश्यत्: saw
• अपश्यत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• क्षणेन: in a moment
• क्षणेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/अवधारण (emphatic particle: indeed/just)

• प्रेतसंघैः: by groups of ghosts
• प्रेतसंघैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत + संघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन (instrumental plural) — ‘प्रेतानां संघाः’ (groups of ghosts)

• सभावृतम्: surrounded by an assembly
• सभावृतम्: Karma (Object complement/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सभा + आवृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √वृ/वृणोति with ā-)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle) — ‘सभया आवृतम्’ (surrounded by an assembly)

• प्रेतम्: a ghost
• प्रेतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘प्रेतम्’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction: and)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन (genitive plural)

• आधिपत्ये: in rulership; in sovereignty
• आधिपत्ये: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आधिपत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन (locative singular)

• व्यवस्थितम्: established; stationed
• व्यवस्थितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + अव + स्था (धातु) → व्यवस्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle: ‘standing/established’) qualifying ‘प्रेतम्’

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Nāgara-khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A spectral court appears: a ring of gaunt, ash-hued pretas encircling a central throne-like seat where a dominant preta presides; the observer stands stunned at the edge.

Characters & Entities

• Preta
• Pretasaṃgha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇas portray unseen realms to awaken discernment and turn the mind toward dharma and sacred refuge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not explicitly indicated in this verse; it is part of a tīrtha-māhātmya episode that uses otherworldly imagery to heighten the sacred context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.