Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

तुलां च पार्थिवश्रेष्ठ पुण्याहं च प्रकीर्तयेत् । यजमानो निजैः सर्वैरायुधैः कायसंस्थितैः

Transliteration

tulāṃ ca pārthivaśreṣṭha puṇyāhaṃ ca prakīrtayet | yajamāno nijaiḥ sarvairāyudhaiḥ kāyasaṃsthitaiḥ

Translation

Et, ô le meilleur des rois, qu’il proclame comme il se doit le rite de la tulā et récite l’auspicieux «puṇyāha». Le yajamāna doit être présent avec toutes ses armes, portées sur sa personne.

Word by Word

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

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पार्थिवश्रेष्ठ: O best of kings
• पार्थिवश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (पार्थिवेषु श्रेष्ठः)

• पुण्याहम्: the auspicious day-rite (puṇyāha)
• पुण्याहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य + अहन्/अह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (पुण्यः अहः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• प्रकीर्तयेत्: should proclaim/recite
• प्रकीर्तयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√कीर्त् (धातु: to proclaim/recite)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यजमानः: the sacrificer (patron)
• यजमानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यजमान (प्रातिपदिक; √यज् धातोः शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त (the sacrificer)

• निजैः: with his own
• निजैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; आयुधैः इति विशेषण

• सर्वैः: with all
• सर्वैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; आयुधैः इति विशेषण

• आयुधैः: with weapons/implements
• आयुधैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• कायसंस्थितैः: kept on the body (carried on one’s person)
• कायसंस्थितैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काय + संस्थित (प्रातिपदिक; √स्था धातोः क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (काये संस्थितानि) आयुधैः इति विशेषण

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārthivaśreṣṭha (best of kings) addressed

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A kingly yajamāna in ritual attire stands beside priests; sacred vessels and a balance/scale motif (tulā) are prepared. The king wears or carries his weapons while the priest recites puṇyāha and announces the rite.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Yajamāna
• Puṇyāha
• Tulā
• Pārthivaśreṣṭha (king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even while performing charity, one remains established in one’s dharma—here, royal duty and sacred rite are integrated.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of a tīrtha-māhātmya chapter but does not itself identify a specific location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Recitation of ‘puṇyāha’ and formal proclamation of the tulā rite; the yajamāna’s prescribed presence (notably as a kṣatriya, with weapons).