Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 62

Devanagari script

प्रययौ वांछितं देशमनुज्ञातश्च भूभुजा । देवतायां प्रणामं च ताभ्यां कृत्वा पुनःपुनः

Transliteration

prayayau vāṃchitaṃ deśamanujñātaśca bhūbhujā | devatāyāṃ praṇāmaṃ ca tābhyāṃ kṛtvā punaḥpunaḥ

Translation

Ayant reçu congé du roi, il partit vers la contrée qu’il désirait ; et, maintes et maintes fois, il se prosterna devant la divinité de ce lieu.

Word by Word

• प्रययौ: departed
• प्रययौ: Kriya (Main predicate/मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन — 'went forth/departed'

• वाञ्छितम्: desired
• वाञ्छितम्: Karma (Qualifier to object/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाञ्छित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन — 'desired' (qualifying 'deśam')

• देशम्: to the place
• देशम्: Karma (Goal as object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन — 'to the country/place'

• अनुज्ञातः: having been permitted
• अनुज्ञातः: Karta (Predicate participle to subject/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — 'having been permitted'

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

• भूभुजा: by the king
• भूभुजा: Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूभुज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन — 'by the king'

• देवतायाम्: to the deity
• देवतायाम्: Adhikarana (Reference/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन — 'towards/in the deity (deities)' (locative of reference)

• प्रणामम्: salutation
• प्रणामम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन — 'salutation'

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

• ताभ्याम्: by those two
• ताभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/Agent/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), द्विवचन — 'by those two' (i.e., by the two deities)

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/Adverbial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) — 'having done/made'

• पुनःपुनः: again and again
• पुनःपुनः: Sambandha (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनःपुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): आवृत्ति (again and again)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced from continued narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Apsarasāṃ Kuṇḍa (and its devatā)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The brāhmaṇa, having received the king’s leave, turns toward the shrine and repeatedly bows; the deity’s presence is suggested by a sanctum doorway, lamp-flames, and garlands.

Characters & Entities

• Bhūbhuj (king)
• Devatā (presiding deity)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is completed with gratitude—seeking proper leave and repeatedly bowing to the presiding deity, reinforcing humility and reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The presiding deity of the tīrtha complex described in Adhyāya 133 (wells/ponds), honored through repeated praṇāma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Praṇāma (repeated obeisance) to the devatā of the sacred place, as part of proper tīrtha conduct.