Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

हस्तपादावमर्द्दश्च श्रांतानां पृष्ठमर्द्दनम् । धनाध्यक्ष त्वया देया दक्षिणा कालसंभवा

Transliteration

hastapādāvamarddaśca śrāṃtānāṃ pṛṣṭhamarddanam | dhanādhyakṣa tvayā deyā dakṣiṇā kālasaṃbhavā

Translation

«Masse leurs mains et leurs pieds, et frictionne le dos de ceux qui sont las. Et toi, ô intendant des richesses, donne la dakṣiṇā, l’honoraire sacrificiel, au moment opportun».

Word by Word

• हस्तपादावमर्दः: massage of hands and feet
• हस्तपादावमर्दः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hasta + pāda + avamarda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समाहार/कर्मधारयवत् तत्पुरुषः (hands-and-feet massage)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• श्रान्तानाम्: of the tired (persons)
• श्रान्तानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śrānta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; विशेषण (of the tired)

• पृष्ठमर्दनम्: rubbing/massage of the back
• पृष्ठमर्दनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛṣṭha + mardana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (back-rubbing)

• धनाध्यक्ष: O treasurer/overseer of wealth
• धनाध्यक्ष: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhana + adhyakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (overseer of wealth)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karaṇa (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• देया: should be given
• देया: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dā (धातु) + ya (कृत्य) → deya (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/future passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘to be given’

• दक्षिणा: fee/gift (dakṣiṇā)
• दक्षिणा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कालसंभवा: arising in due time / seasonal
• कालसंभवा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāla + saṃbhavā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (arising from time/seasonal)

Speaker

Brahmā (continued instruction)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra (or the appointed steward) personally massages the hands and feet of tired priests; the treasurer prepares to distribute dakṣiṇā at the correct moment.

Characters & Entities

• Dakṣiṇā
• Dhanādhyakṣa (treasurer/wealth-steward)
• Dvija/Ṛtvij (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True ritual includes compassion and generosity—service (sevā) and giving (dakṣiṇā) complete the merit of worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha’s dharmic culture is highlighted through norms of honoring priests; the verse does not specify a named location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Physical service to tired priests and timely payment of dakṣiṇā by the treasurer.