Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

पूर्वे वयसि संस्थश्च दर्शनीयतमाकृतिः । क्षुत्क्षामः सुपरिश्रांतो मध्याह्ने समुपस्थिते

Transliteration

pūrve vayasi saṃsthaśca darśanīyatamākṛtiḥ | kṣutkṣāmaḥ supariśrāṃto madhyāhne samupasthite

Translation

Il était encore dans la fleur de la jeunesse et d’une apparence des plus agréables; pourtant, lorsque vint le milieu du jour, il était accablé par la faim, amaigri et très épuisé.

Word by Word

• पूर्वे: in the earlier (time)
• पूर्वे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (locative of time: 'in the earlier')

• वयसि: in age/youth
• वयसि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• संस्थः: standing/remaining (situated)
• संस्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-स्था (धातु) → संस्थ (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः (past participle)

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

• दर्शनीयतमाकृतिः: one of most pleasing appearance
• दर्शनीयतमाकृतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शनीय (प्रातिपदिक) + तम (तद्धित/उत्तम-प्रत्यय) + आकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (दर्शनीयतमा आकृतिः)

• क्षुत्क्षामः: emaciated by hunger
• क्षुत्क्षामः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुत् (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (क्षुधा क्षामः)

• सुपरिश्रान्तः: very exhausted
• सुपरिश्रान्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + परि-श्रान्त (कृदन्त, क्त; श्रम् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः; 'सु' उपपदेन विशेषितः

• मध्याह्ने: at midday
• मध्याह्ने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्याह्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• समुपस्थिते: when (it) had arrived
• समुपस्थिते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-उप-स्था (धातु) → उपस्थित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः; (मध्याह्ने) समुपस्थिते = 'when midday had arrived'

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator within Nāgarakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A youthful, handsome pilgrim stands at midday, visibly exhausted and hungry, dust on limbs, sun overhead; the road or outskirts of a settlement near a sacred route.

Characters & Entities

• Puṣpa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even a disciplined pilgrim faces bodily hardship, setting the stage for dharma through hospitality and compassion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse describes conditions during travel/arrival; it does not name a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual; the timing (midday) implicitly relates to customary meal/hospitality practices.