Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

सिंहासने निवेश्याथ तं मुनिं पार्थिवोत्तमः । उपविष्टो धरापृष्ठे कृतांजलिपुटः स्थितः

Transliteration

siṃhāsane niveśyātha taṃ muniṃ pārthivottamaḥ | upaviṣṭo dharāpṛṣṭhe kṛtāṃjalipuṭaḥ sthitaḥ

Translation

Après avoir fait asseoir le sage muni sur le trône, le meilleur des rois s’assit à même la terre, demeurant les mains jointes en signe de vénération.

Word by Word

• सिंहासने: on the throne
• सिंहासने: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंहासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन (Locative singular)

• निवेश्य: having seated
• निवेश्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि+विश् (धातु) + ल्यप् (ल्यबन्त)
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिकक्रिया (having seated/placed)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha-sūcaka (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/सम्बन्धसूचक (particle: then/now)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• मुनिम्: the sage
• मुनिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• पार्थिवोत्तमः: the best of kings
• पार्थिवोत्तमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन (Nominative singular); कर्मधारयः (उत्तमः पार्थिवः)

• उपविष्टः: seated
• उपविष्टः: Karta (Subject predicate/कर्तृवाचक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप+विश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘having sat/being seated’

• धरापृष्ठे: on the earth’s surface
• धरापृष्ठे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरा (प्रातिपदिक) + पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धरायाः पृष्ठे)

• कृताञ्जलिपुटः: with hands joined in reverence
• कृताञ्जलिपुटः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ धातु, क्त) + अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक) + पुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (कृतः अञ्जलिपुटः यस्य) — विशेषणम्

• स्थितः: stood/was stationed
• स्थितः: Karta (Subject predicate/कर्तृवाचक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘standing/remaining’

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā (Satyānāmikā)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sage seated on a grand lion-throne; the king seated on the floor below, hands folded, gaze uplifted; courtiers stand at a respectful distance; lamps illuminate the hall.

Characters & Entities

• Rohitāśva
• Mārkaṇḍeya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse teaches that true greatness is humility: worldly rank bows before spiritual realization.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting remains Ayodhyā, whose dharmic atmosphere is reflected in the king’s reverence for a visiting sage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A dharmic norm is modeled: offer the best seat to a holy guest and maintain a respectful posture (añjali) while listening.