Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 140

Devanagari script

अहमासं पुरा विप्रः सर्वविद्यासु पारगः । चमत्कारपुरे श्रेष्ठे नाम्ना ख्यातस्तु घंटकः । ब्रह्मचारी दमोपेतो हरपूजार्चने रतः

Transliteration

ahamāsaṃ purā vipraḥ sarvavidyāsu pāragaḥ | camatkārapure śreṣṭhe nāmnā khyātastu ghaṃṭakaḥ | brahmacārī damopeto harapūjārcane rataḥ

Translation

Autrefois, j’étais un brāhmane, parvenu au terme de toutes les sciences. Dans l’excellente cité nommée Cāmatkārapura, j’étais renommé sous le nom de Ghaṇṭaka — vivant dans la chasteté, doté de maîtrise de soi et de discipline, et voué au culte et à l’adoration de Hara (Śiva).

Word by Word

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• āsam: was
• āsam: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• purā: formerly
• purā: Avyaya (Modifier/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (adverb of time)

• vipraḥ: a brāhmaṇa
• vipraḥ: Pradhāna-nāma (Predicate nominal/विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• sarva-vidyāsu: in all sciences/branches of knowledge
• sarva-vidyāsu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + vidyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन; समासः कर्मधारय (sarvāḥ vidyāḥ)

• pāragaḥ: one who has mastered (gone to the far shore)
• pāragaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāraga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणं 'aham/vipraḥ'

• camatkāra-pure: in the city of Camatkāra
• camatkāra-pure: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: camatkāra (प्रातिपदिक) + pura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (camatkārasya puram)

• śreṣṭhe: excellent, best
• śreṣṭhe: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणं 'pure'

• nāmnā: by name
• nāmnā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; साधन/उपाधिवाचक

• khyātaḥ: renowned
• khyātaḥ: Pradhāna-nāma (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: khyāta (कृदन्त; √khyā)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे 'renowned'

• tu: indeed
• tu: Avyaya (Discourse particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधान/विरोधार्थक (particle: 'indeed/but')

• ghaṃṭakaḥ: (named) Ghaṃṭaka
• ghaṃṭakaḥ: Pradhāna-nāma (Apposition/संज्ञा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghaṃṭaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• brahmacārī: a celibate student
• brahmacārī: Pradhāna-nāma (Predicate nominal/विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahmacārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• dama-upetaḥ: endowed with self-control
• dama-upetaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dama (प्रातिपदिक) + upeta (कृदन्त; √i with upa-)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (damena upetaḥ = endowed with self-control)

• hara-pūjā-arcane: in the worship and adoration of Hara (Śiva)
• hara-pūjā-arcane: Adhikarana (Sphere/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hara (प्रातिपदिक) + pūjā (प्रातिपदिक) + arcana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (harasya pūjā-arcanaṃ)

• rataḥ: devoted, engaged
• rataḥ: Pradhāna-nāma (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rata (कृदन्त; √ram)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'engaged/delighting'

Speaker

Ulūka

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Cāmatkārapura (as narrative locale)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Indradyumna

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Flashback: a learned brahmin named Ghaṇṭaka in a prosperous city, living as a disciplined brahmacārin, performing Śiva worship with focused serenity.

Characters & Entities

• Ulūka
• Ghaṇṭaka
• Hara (Śiva)
• Cāmatkārapura

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual strength is rooted in brahmacarya and self-control, and is fulfilled through steady devotion to Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A place-name, Cāmatkārapura, is mentioned as the speaker’s former locale; the verse primarily supports the chapter’s sacred narrative rather than detailing a tīrtha rite there.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Regular worship and offering to Hara (Śiva) is implied as the speaker’s sustained practice.