Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

शिक्यद्वय समोपेतां तन्मध्ये विन्यसेत्तुलाम् । स्नातः शुक्लांबरधरः शुक्लमाल्यानुलेपनः

Transliteration

śikyadvaya samopetāṃ tanmadhye vinyasettulām | snātaḥ śuklāṃbaradharaḥ śuklamālyānulepanaḥ

Translation

Qu’il place au centre la balance (tulā), munie de deux courroies. Après s’être baigné, qu’il revête des vêtements blancs et se pare de guirlandes blanches et d’onguents parfumés.

Word by Word

• शिक्यद्वय: with a pair of slings/panniers
• शिक्यद्वय: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिक्य + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; द्विगु/तत्पुरुष-समास (द्वे शिक्ये)

• समोपेताम्: provided with, furnished with
• समोपेताम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-उप-इ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (समुपेता = endowed/combined)

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (तन्मध्ये)

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• विन्यसेत्: should place
• विन्यसेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-नि-√अस्/न्यस् (धातु: √अस्/न्यस् ‘to place’)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तुलाम्: a balance/scale
• तुलाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• स्नातः: having bathed
• स्नातः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √स्ना (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (having bathed)

• शुक्लाम्बरधरः: wearing white garments
• शुक्लाम्बरधरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ल + अम्बर + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (शुक्लम् अम्बरं धरति)

• शुक्लमाल्यानुलेपनः: with white garlands and unguent
• शुक्लमाल्यानुलेपनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ल + माल्य + अनुलेपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (माल्यं च अनुलेपनं च) तयोः शुक्लत्वम्

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the center of the ritual space stands a tulā (balance scale) with two slings; the patron, freshly bathed, dressed in white, adorned with white garlands and sandal/white unguents, prepares for a weighing-offering rite.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Tulā (scale)
• Śikya (slings)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purification (snāna) and sattvic presentation symbolize inner clarity before performing sacred charity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This is a procedural verse within tīrtha-māhātmya; the site is not specified in this snippet.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Installation of the tulā with two slings, and preparatory purity rules: bathing and wearing white with white adornments.