Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

त्वया संधार्यते विश्वं जगदेतच्चराचरम् । तव दानं करिष्यामि सांनिध्यं कुरु मेदिनि

Transliteration

tvayā saṃdhāryate viśvaṃ jagadetaccarācaram | tava dānaṃ kariṣyāmi sāṃnidhyaṃ kuru medini

Translation

Par Toi est soutenu l’univers tout entier—ce monde, mobile et immobile. Je ferai pour Toi ce don ; ô Medinī (Mère Terre), accorde-moi Ta présence bienveillante.

Word by Word

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन; Gender: common (pronoun)

• संधार्यते: is sustained/held together
• संधार्यते: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+धृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive)

• विश्वम्: the universe
• विश्वम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karma (Apposition to object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• चराचरम्: moving and unmoving
• चराचरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चर + अचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (चरम्+अचरम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; जगत्/विश्वम्-विशेषण

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), एकवचन

• दानम्: gift/charity
• दानम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• करिष्यामि: I will do/perform
• करिष्यामि: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सांनिध्यम्: presence/nearby attendance
• सांनिध्यम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सान्निध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कुरु: do/make
• कुरु: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मेदिनि: O Earth
• मेदिनि: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेदिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speaker

Yajamāna/Devotee (ritual petitioner, as introduced in shloka 22)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Medinī (Bhūdevī) worship (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The worshipper, palms joined, addresses Earth as goddess; behind him the world is symbolically shown—mountains, rivers, beings—resting upon her; the offering is held forward in dedication.

Characters & Entities

• Medinī (Earth goddess)
• Jagat (moving and unmoving)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Charity begins with reverence: acknowledging Earth as the sustainer turns giving into sacred reciprocity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse praises Earth (Medinī) universally; it functions within a tīrtha-rite but does not name a specific site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A dedicatory prayer spoken at the moment of offering (dāna) to Earth, requesting her sānnidhya (blessing/presence).