Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

चक्रे संवत्सरस्यांते श्रद्धया परया युतः । निराहारश्च मौनेन पदातिर्द्विजसत्तमाः

Transliteration

cakre saṃvatsarasyāṃte śraddhayā parayā yutaḥ | nirāhāraśca maunena padātirdvijasattamāḥ

Translation

Ô brāhmanes éminents, à la fin de l’année il l’accomplit avec une foi suprême—jeûnant, observant le vœu de silence (mauna) et allant à pied.

Word by Word

• cakre: performed
• cakre: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/परफेक्ट); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘चकार’ (did/performed)

• saṃvatsarasya: of the year
• saṃvatsarasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃvatsara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन; ‘संवत्सरस्य’ = of the year

• ante: at the end
• ante: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन; ‘अन्ते’ = at the end

• śraddhayā: with faith
• śraddhayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śraddhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन; ‘श्रद्धया’ = with faith

• parayā: with supreme (faith)
• parayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन; ‘श्रद्धया’ इति विशेषणम्; अर्थः ‘उत्तमया’ (supreme)

• yutaḥ: endowed
• yutaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yutá (प्रातिपदिक) / yu (धातु) → yuta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); प्रथमा एकवचन पुंलिङ्ग; कर्तृविशेषणम्; अर्थः ‘युक्तः’ (endowed)

• nirāhāraḥ: fasting
• nirāhāraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir + āhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; नञ्/निर्वचन-तत्पुरुषः (nir-āhāraḥ) = without food, fasting

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• maunena: by silence
• maunena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mauna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन; ‘मौनेन’ = by silence

• padātiḥ: one on foot
• padātiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: padāti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘पदाति’ = foot-soldier / one who goes on foot

• dvija-sattamāḥ: O best of Brahmins
• dvija-sattamāḥ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + sattama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (dvijānāṃ sattamāḥ) = best among Brahmins; (पाठे बहुवचनम्—सम्बोधन/प्रथमा-बहुवचनरूपम्)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; addressed to dvijas)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija-sattamāḥ (addressed brāhmaṇas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the completion of a year-long observance, the king—barefoot—walks in silence, fasting, with folded hands, radiating steadfast faith; attendants keep respectful distance.

Characters & Entities

• Śraddhā
• Nirāhāra
• Mauna
• Padayātrā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha-worship becomes especially powerful when joined to śraddhā, austerity (nirāhāra), restraint (mauna), and humble travel (on foot).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ongoing Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya kṣetra/tīrtha is being praised through the king’s disciplined observance; the site name is not stated here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Austerities accompanying pilgrimage/pradakṣiṇā: fasting (nirāhāra), silence (mauna), and traveling on foot (padayātrā).