Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

स्नात्वा विप्रान्समा हूय मध्यगेन समन्वितान् । शंखादित्यस्य पुरतः प्रक्षाल्य चरणौ नृप

Transliteration

snātvā viprānsamā hūya madhyagena samanvitān | śaṃkhādityasya purataḥ prakṣālya caraṇau nṛpa

Translation

Après s’être baigné selon le rite, le roi fit venir les brāhmaṇa, accompagnés de leur chef. Devant Śaṅkhāditya, il leur lava les pieds avec vénération, ô roi.

Word by Word

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्तः (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया (prior action)

• विप्रान्: Brahmins
• विप्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम् (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• समाहूय: having summoned
• समाहूय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + हु (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्ययकृदन्तः (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (prior action)

• मध्यगेन: with the chief/leader (one who is in the middle/foremost)
• मध्यगेन: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्यग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम् (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• समन्वितान्: accompanied/attended
• समन्वितान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + अन्वि (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्गम् (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• शंखादित्यस्य: of Śaṅkhāditya
• शंखादित्यस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंखादित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम् (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive/6th), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• पुरतः: in front of
• पुरतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्ययम् (preposition/adverb: in front of)

• प्रक्षाल्य: having washed
• प्रक्षाल्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + क्षल् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्ययकृदन्तः (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (prior action)

• चरणौ: (their) feet
• चरणौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम् (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), द्विवचनम् (Dual)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम् (Masculine), सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (narrative voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śaṅkhatīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: addressed as ‘nṛpa’ within narration

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On a riverbank or temple forecourt, the king—fresh from bathing—kneels and washes the feet of assembled brāhmaṇas led by an elder, directly before the radiant image of Śaṅkhāditya (solar deity with conch emblem).

Characters & Entities

• Vipra (brāhmaṇas)
• Śaṅkhāditya
• Śaṅkhatīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage merit is strengthened by humility and service—honoring the learned and righteous in the deity’s presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śaṅkhatīrtha, with worship performed before Śaṅkhāditya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (bathing), summoning brāhmaṇas, and pādaprakṣālana (washing their feet) before the deity.