Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 99

Devanagari script

अभिवन्द्य कुशादेशं रामस्य चरितं स्मरन् । पुर्यां विलोकयामास लङ्कायां रामशासनात्

Transliteration

abhivandya kuśādeśaṃ rāmasya caritaṃ smaran | puryāṃ vilokayāmāsa laṅkāyāṃ rāmaśāsanāt

Translation

Après s’être incliné et avoir reçu l’ordre de Kuśa, se remémorant les hauts faits de Rāma, il parcourut du regard la cité de Laṅkā selon l’ordonnance de Rāma.

Word by Word

• अभिवन्द्य: having saluted
• अभिवन्द्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अभि + √वन्द् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), अव्ययभाव

• कुशादेशम्: Kuśa’s command/order
• कुशादेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुश + आदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—कुशस्य आदेशः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• रामस्य: of Rāma
• रामस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• चरितम्: deeds/story
• चरितम्: Karma (Object of ‘smaran’/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त √चर् (धातु) अर्थे ‘आचरितं वृत्तान्तः’

• स्मरन्: remembering
• स्मरन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पुर्याम्: in the city
• पुर्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• विलोकयामास: looked around/observed
• विलोकयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √लोक् (धातु) (विलोकयति)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त-भावः (causative stem in usage)

• लङ्कायाम्: in Laṅkā
• लङ्कायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लङ्का (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• रामशासनात्: from/according to Rāma’s command
• रामशासनात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source/हेतु-अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम + शासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—रामस्य शासनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator within Nāgarakhaṇḍa; specific speaker not explicit in the snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Laṅkā (Rāma-śāsana-smṛti locus)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The messenger bows, receives Kuśa’s order, then walks through Laṅkā’s streets surveying fortifications; above him, a subtle vision/medallion of Rāma’s exploits appears as remembered guidance.

Characters & Entities

• Kuśa
• Rāma
• Laṅkā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right action follows rightful authority: one should act with reverence to dharmic commands and remembrance of exemplary conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse mentions Laṅkā as a setting; no specific tīrtha is praised in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse centers on obedience to dharmic शासन (ordinance).