Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 36
Devanagari script
राजोवाच । कस्मिन्देशे महातीर्थं तादृशं वद मे द्रुतम्
Transliteration
rājovāca | kasmindeśe mahātīrthaṃ tādṛśaṃ vada me drutam
Translation
Le roi dit : « En quel pays se trouve un si grand tīrtha ? Dis-le-moi vite. »
Word by Word
राजाthe king
राजा:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootराजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine nominative singular)
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् (3rd person singular, perfect)
कस्मिन्in which
कस्मिन्:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम (interrogative; locative singular)
देशेcountry/place
देशे:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (masculine locative singular)
महातीर्थम्great sacred ford/pilgrimage place
महातीर्थम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमहा (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महच्च तत् तीर्थम्) (neuter accusative singular)
तादृशम्such (of that kind)
तादृशम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootतादृश (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (neuter accusative singular; adjective)
वदtell
वद:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवद् (धातु)
Formलोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् (2nd person singular, imperative)
मेto me
मे:
Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formचतुर्थी (4th case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (dative singular pronoun)
द्रुतम्quickly
द्रुतम्:
Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootद्रुत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्तप्राय)
Formअव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः (adverbial accusative; quickly)
Speaker
Rājā (the King)
Skanda Dialogue
Listener: Kārpaṭika
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A king, intent and leaning forward, asks urgently; the ascetic narrator stands composed, ready to disclose the sacred geography.
FAQs
Dharma begins with śraddhā and inquiry—seeking the right place and right practice from a trustworthy source.
The verse introduces the query that leads to the identification of the Nāgara-kṣetra tīrtha (Viśvāmitra-jalāvaha).
No ritual is prescribed here; it is a request for the tīrtha’s location to enable proper pilgrimage and observance.