Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

ततश्च तत्क्षणाज्जातौ हस्तौ तस्य यथा पुरा । रक्तोत्पलनिभौ कांतौ मत्स्यचिह्नेन चिह्नितौ

Transliteration

tataśca tatkṣaṇājjātau hastau tasya yathā purā | raktotpalanibhau kāṃtau matsyacihnena cihnitau

Translation

Et alors, à l’instant même, ses deux mains revinrent comme auparavant : belles, pareilles à des lotus rouges, et marquées du signe du poisson.

Word by Word

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb): ‘then/from there’

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

• तत्-क्षणात्: from that very moment
• तत्-क्षणात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (तत् + क्षण) = ‘that moment’ + Abl. ‘from’

• जातौ: born; appeared
• जातौ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘हस्तौ’)

• हस्तौ: (two) hands
• हस्तौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन

• तस्य: of him; his
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• यथा: as; just like
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparison/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (comparative/manner)

• पुरा: formerly; before
• पुरा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (adverb of time)

• रक्त-उत्पल-निभौ: resembling red lotuses
• रक्त-उत्पल-निभौ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्पल (प्रातिपदिक) + निभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; विशेषणम् (‘हस्तौ’); तत्पुरुष-समासः: रक्तोत्पलस्य निभौ = ‘like red lotuses’

• कान्तौ: beautiful; lovely
• कान्तौ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; विशेषणम् (‘हस्तौ’)

• मत्स्य-चिह्नेन: with a fish-mark
• मत्स्य-चिह्नेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य (प्रातिपदिक) + चिह्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः: मत्स्यस्य चिह्नम्; करणत्वेन (instrumental)

• चिह्नितौ: marked; bearing a mark
• चिह्नितौ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिह्न् (धातु) → चिह्नित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; विशेषणम् (‘हस्तौ’)

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Candrāṅka-tīrtha (contextual)

Type: tirtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee/king’s hands are suddenly restored, glowing like red lotuses, bearing a clear fish emblem; surrounding brāhmaṇas and attendants witness the miracle at a newly sanctified ford.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkha
• Matsya (fish emblem)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tīrtha’s glory is authenticated through visible transformation, teaching that sacred places can manifest divine power tangibly when approached with proper observance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The same Nāgarakhaṇḍa tīrtha of Adhyāya 11, whose merit is demonstrated by Śaṅkha’s immediate restoration and auspicious marks.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The implied prescription is the previously stated snāna with proper timing/discipline, culminating here in the described result.