Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 95

Devanagari script

त्रिकोणं कुण्डमास्थाय दिशां पालान्प्रपूजयेत् । क्षेत्रपालं च सर्वास्ता देवता गमनोद्भवाः

Transliteration

trikoṇaṃ kuṇḍamāsthāya diśāṃ pālānprapūjayet | kṣetrapālaṃ ca sarvāstā devatā gamanodbhavāḥ

Translation

Après avoir établi un kuṇḍa (foyer sacrificiel) triangulaire, qu’on adore d’abord les gardiens des directions, ainsi que Kṣetrapāla ; et toutes les divinités qui se manifestent comme assistants pour la marche du rite.

Word by Word

• त्रिकोणम्: triangular
• त्रिकोणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि + कोण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण; समास: त्रि-कोण (three-angled)

• कुण्डम्: fire-pit, altar-pit
• कुण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आस्थाय: having made/arranged (and) taken position with
• आस्थाय: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive); ‘having taken/assumed/approached’

• दिशाम्: of the directions
• दिशाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• पालान्: guardians
• पालान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• प्रपूजयेत्: should worship
• प्रपूजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• क्षेत्रपालम्: the Kṣetrapāla (field/temple guardian)
• क्षेत्रपालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समास: क्षेत्र-पाल (guardian of the field/temple)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Visheshya (Qualifier of subject/विशेष्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• ताः: those (they)
• ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• देवताः: deities
• देवताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• गमन: going, movement
• गमन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (पूर्वपद)

• उद्भवाः: arisen, originated
• उद्भवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण; (देवताः)

Speaker

Maheśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A triangular fire-pit drawn with precise lines; offerings placed at three corners; eight Dikpālas stationed in their directions; a fierce Kṣetrapāla at the threshold; attendant deities assembling as the rite ‘moves forward’.

Characters & Entities

• Dikpālas (guardians of directions)
• Kṣetrapāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred rites are to be performed within a protected, properly invoked ritual universe—honoring directional guardians and the guardian of the field.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The chapter is in Tīrthamāhātmya, but the exact tīrtha is not named in the provided verses.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Construct a triangular kuṇḍa and worship Dikpālas and Kṣetrapāla as preliminary invocations.