Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

हाटकेश्वरजं क्षेत्रं पुनाति स्मरणादपि । किं पुनर्दर्शनाद्विप्राः स्पर्शनाच्च विशेषतः

Transliteration

hāṭakeśvarajaṃ kṣetraṃ punāti smaraṇādapi | kiṃ punardarśanādviprāḥ sparśanācca viśeṣataḥ

Translation

Ô brāhmanes, le kṣetra sacré de Hāṭakeśvara purifie même par le seul souvenir ; combien plus encore par la vision—et tout particulièrement par le toucher.

Word by Word

• हाटकेश्वरजम्: arisen from/pertaining to Hāṭakeśvara
• हाटकेश्वरजम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हाटकेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः ‘हाटकेश्वरात् जातम्/हाटकेश्वरस्य जातम्’ (born of/connected with Hāṭakeśvara)

• क्षेत्रम्: the sacred field
• क्षेत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• पुनाति: purifies
• पुनाति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• स्मरणात्: from remembrance
• स्मरणात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; हेतौ (cause): ‘by/through remembering’

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निपातः (particle) — ‘even/also’

• किम्: what (then)
• किम्: Sambandha (Interrogative particle/प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-प्रयोगः; प्रश्नार्थक-निपातः (interrogative particle)

• पुनः: more so
• पुनः: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निपात/क्रियाविशेषणम् (particle/adverb): ‘again; moreover’

• दर्शनात्: from seeing
• दर्शनात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; हेतौ

• विप्राः: O brāhmaṇas
• विप्राः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; संबोधनार्थेऽपि (used as address)

• स्पर्शनात्: from touching
• स्पर्शनात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; हेतौ

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Sambandha (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb): ‘especially’

Speaker

Narrative voice (likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa continuing the Māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas/ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tri-panel conceptual scene: (1) a devotee remembering Hāṭakeśvara with closed eyes; (2) pilgrims approaching and beholding the kṣetra/temple; (3) devotees touching sacred water/stone steps/temple threshold, radiance emanating outward.

Characters & Entities

• Hāṭakeśvara
• kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Contact with sacred space works on multiple levels—remembrance, pilgrimage-vision, and physical presence—each increasing in purifying power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra, praised as intrinsically purifying within the Nāgara Khaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is commanded; the verse highlights smaraṇa (remembering), darśana (seeing/visiting), and sparśana (touching) as spiritually efficacious.