Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

तत्र प्रभुत्वमातिष्ठ नागराणां हिते स्थितः । राक्षसा बहवः संति कूष्मांडाश्च पिशाचकाः

Transliteration

tatra prabhutvamātiṣṭha nāgarāṇāṃ hite sthitaḥ | rākṣasā bahavaḥ saṃti kūṣmāṃḍāśca piśācakāḥ

Translation

«Là, prends l’autorité, demeurant voué au bien des habitants de la cité. De nombreux rākṣasas s’y trouvent, ainsi que des kūṣmāṇḍas et des piśācas.»

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• प्रभुत्वम्: lordship/authority
• प्रभुत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभुत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आतिष्ठ: assume/hold
• आतिष्ठ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नागराणाम्: of the citizens (nāgaras)
• नागराणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• हिते: in (their) welfare
• हिते: Adhikaraṇa (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अर्थः—हित (welfare)

• स्थितः: being situated/remaining
• स्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृत् (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अर्थः—स्थित (standing/remaining)

• राक्षसाः: rākṣasas
• राक्षसाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• सन्ति: are
• सन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• कूष्माण्डाः: kūṣmāṇḍas (a class of spirits)
• कूष्माण्डाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूष्माण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• पिशाचकाः: piśācas/ghouls
• पिशाचकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिशाचक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nāgara-kṣetra / Camatkārapura (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A prince/appointed guardian stands at the city’s threshold receiving counsel to rule for citizens’ welfare; behind him, shadowy ranks of rākṣasas, kūṣmāṇḍas, and piśācas are visible but held at bay by sacred order.

Characters & Entities

• Nāgara (citizens)
• Rākṣasas
• Kūṣmāṇḍas
• Piśācas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Authority is dharmic only when exercised for loka-hita—protecting communities and sacred spaces from harm.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The passage continues the glorification of the sacred settlement in the Nāgara-khaṇḍa context (linked with Camatkārapura/Nāgara).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is specified; the verse frames a protective duty akin to rājadhrama in a tīrtha-region.