Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

प्रणिपातं प्रकृत्वाथ ततः प्रोवाच सादरम् । मदीयस्थान संस्थानां ब्राह्मणानां विशेषतः

Transliteration

praṇipātaṃ prakṛtvātha tataḥ provāca sādaram | madīyasthāna saṃsthānāṃ brāhmaṇānāṃ viśeṣataḥ

Translation

Après s’être prosterné en hommage, il parla ensuite avec déférence—surtout aux brāhmaṇa établis dans son propre domaine et assignés à leurs sièges de service.

Word by Word

• praṇipātam: prostration; obeisance
• praṇipātam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: praṇipāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• prakṛtvā: having performed
• prakṛtvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√kṛ (धातु) + त्वा; prakṛtvā (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund): 'having done/made'

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

• tataḥ: thereupon
• tataḥ: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक (thereupon)

• provāca: said; spoke
• provāca: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• sādaram: respectfully
• sādaram: Kriya-visheshana (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sādara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbially: 'respectfully')

• madīya-sthāna-saṃsthānām: of the Brahmins residing in my place/establishment
• madīya-sthāna-saṃsthānām: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madīya (प्रातिपदिक) + sthāna (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃsthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मदीये स्थाने संस्थानाः), षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन; ब्राह्मणानाम् इति विशेषण

• brāhmaṇānām: of the Brahmins
• brāhmaṇānām: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• viśeṣataḥ: especially
• viśeṣataḥ: Kriya-visheshana (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेषार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (especially)

Speaker

Narrator (within Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gartā-tīrtha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king bows (praṇipāta) before an assembly of brāhmaṇas seated on designated seats; the atmosphere is formal yet devotional, with ritual implements and manuscripts indicating their established service.

Characters & Entities

• brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Humility before spiritual authority is part of rajadharma; honoring brāhmaṇas sustains dharma at sacred places.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not named in this verse; it continues the Gartā-tīrtha-related episode in the surrounding passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Praṇipāta (obeisance) is shown as a dharmic act of respect; no further rite is specified.