Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 84

Devanagari script

एवमुक्त्वाऽथ रक्षेन्द्रः प्रेषयामास सत्वरम् । दूतं कुशमहीपस्य मानुषं देवपूजकम्

Transliteration

evamuktvā'tha rakṣendraḥ preṣayāmāsa satvaram | dūtaṃ kuśamahīpasya mānuṣaṃ devapūjakam

Translation

Ayant ainsi parlé, le seigneur des Rākṣasas envoya en hâte un messager au roi Kuśa : un homme dévot, adorateur des dieux.

Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner: "thus")

• uktvā: having said
• uktvā: Kriyā (Gerundial subordinate action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having said)

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (particle: then/now)

• rakṣa-indraḥ: lord of the rākṣasas
• rakṣa-indraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (rakṣasām indraḥ)

• preṣayāmāsa: sent
• preṣayāmāsa: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√iṣ (इष्/इष्-प्रेषणे धातु) causative (णिच्)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative): "sent/caused to be sent"

• satvaram: quickly
• satvaram: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग एकवचन द्वितीया-रूपं क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (adverb: quickly)

• dūtam: a messenger
• dūtam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• kuśa-mahīpasya: of King Kuśa
• kuśa-mahīpasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuśa (प्रातिपदिक) + mahīpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); एकवचन; कर्मधारय: kuśaḥ mahīpaḥ (King Kuśa)

• mānuṣam: human
• mānuṣam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mānuṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; विशेषणं दूतम् प्रति

• deva-pūjakam: worshipper of the gods
• deva-pūjakam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + pūjaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: devān pūjayati iti (one who worships gods)

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Rāmeśvara (implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis at Naimiṣāraṇya (typical frame; not explicit here)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A rākṣasa-lord, composed yet urgent, dispatches a human messenger devoted to the gods; the contrast of rakṣasa grandeur and the messenger’s piety is emphasized.

Characters & Entities

• Rakṣendra (Vibhīṣaṇa, implied)
• Kuśa
• Dūta
• Deva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharmic outcomes are pursued through proper channels—timely communication with righteous rulers devoted to divine worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The surrounding chapter belongs to the Rāmeśvara tīrthamāhātmya stream in the Nāgarakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is stated; King Kuśa is characterized as devapūjaka, underscoring deva-pūjā (divine worship) as a valued dharmic practice.