Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

अत्रागत्य नदीतीरे यैषा संस्थापिता मया

Transliteration

atrāgatya nadītīre yaiṣā saṃsthāpitā mayā

Translation

Étant venue ici, sur la rive du fleuve, c’est moi qui ai établi cette forme (de la Déesse).

Word by Word

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• āgatya: having come
• āgatya: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: gam (धातु) + ā- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• nadī-tīre: on the river-bank
• nadī-tīre: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nadī + tīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (nadyāḥ tīre)

• yā: she who / which
• yā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम

• eṣā: this (she)
• eṣā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; निर्देश-सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• saṃsthāpitā: was स्थापित/installed
• saṃsthāpitā: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु) + sam- (उपसर्ग) + saṃsthāpita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (past passive participle)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Kartr (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम

Speaker

Śākambharī (contextual; verse is a fragment continuing her statement)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred figure arrives at the riverbank and establishes a divine presence—placing or consecrating an icon at the edge of flowing water, inaugurating a new tīrtha focus.

Characters & Entities

• Śākambharī
• Riverbank (Sarasvatī context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha’s sanctity is reinforced through founding acts—arrival, installation, and continued remembrance of the consecrated presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The riverbank setting within the Sarasvatī context (Sarasvatī-taṭa) where the installation was performed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Saṃsthāpana/pratiṣṭhā (installation) at the riverbank is indicated, implying consecration and subsequent worship.