Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 93

Devanagari script

नारद उवाच । नारदोऽस्मि नृपश्रेष्ठ स्थानकार्थी समागतः । प्रोक्तं च देहि मे द्रव्यं भूमिं च स्थानहेतवे

Transliteration

nārada uvāca | nārado'smi nṛpaśreṣṭha sthānakārthī samāgataḥ | proktaṃ ca dehi me dravyaṃ bhūmiṃ ca sthānahetave

Translation

Nārada dit : «Je suis Nārada, ô meilleur des rois. Je suis venu en quête d’un lieu convenable. Aussi je te demande : accorde-moi des richesses et aussi une terre, afin d’y établir ce lieu».

Word by Word

• nāradaḥ: Narada
• nāradaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• nāradaḥ: Narada
• nāradaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• asmi: I am
• asmi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• nṛpaśreṣṭha: O best of kings
• nṛpaśreṣṭha: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक) + śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नृपाणां श्रेष्ठः)

• sthānakārthī: seeking a place (to stay)
• sthānakārthī: Karta (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthāna (प्रातिपदिक) + kārthin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थे (स्थानस्य/स्थानाय अर्थी = इच्छुकः)

• samāgataḥ: has arrived
• samāgataḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: samā√gam (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्तरि-भाव (having come)

• proktam: (as) spoken/commanded
• proktam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√vac (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; ‘प्रोक्तं’ = (as) said/commanded

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• dehi: give
• dehi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• me: to me / for me
• me: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4) / षष्ठी (6), एकवचन (enclitic)

• dravyam: wealth/materials
• dravyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dravya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• bhūmim: land
• bhūmim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• sthānahetave: for the purpose of a place (residence)
• sthānahetave: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāna (प्रातिपदिक) + hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्थानस्य हेतुः)

Speaker

Nārada

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpaśreṣṭha (the king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nārada, with vīṇā and ascetic attire, stands before a king in court or at a hermitage threshold, declaring his identity and requesting wealth and land for establishing a sacred place.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Supporting sacred establishments through bhūmi-dāna and dravya-dāna is presented as a kingly and dharmic duty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse indicates a forthcoming sacred ‘sthāna’ to be established, but does not name the site in this snippet.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bhūmi-dāna (gift of land) and dravya-dāna (gift of resources) for establishing a sacred site or institution.