Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

अन्यस्मिन्नहनि प्राप्ते शाकल्येन विसर्जितः । शांत्यर्थं याज्ञवल्क्यस्तु पार्थिवस्यनिवेशनम्

Transliteration

anyasminnahani prāpte śākalyena visarjitaḥ | śāṃtyarthaṃ yājñavalkyastu pārthivasyaniveśanam

Translation

Un autre jour, Yājñavalkya, dépêché par Śākalya pour le rite de śānti, se rendit à la demeure du roi.

Word by Word

• anyasmin: on another
• anyasmin: Adhikaraṇa (Time-location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण ‘अन्यस्मिन् (दिने)’

• ahani: day
• ahani: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ahan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• prāpte: when (it) had come/arrived
• prāpte: Sati-saptamī (Absolute construction)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra + √āp (आप् धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute) ‘प्राप्ते (अहनि)’

• śākalyena: by Śākalya
• śākalyena: Karaṇa/Karta (Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śākalya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• visarjitaḥ: dismissed, sent off
• visarjitaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Predicate (Passive result)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi + √sṛj (सृज् धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय (PPP) ‘विसर्जित/ dismissed/sent off’

• śānti-artham: for (the purpose of) pacification
• śānti-artham: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śānti + artha (प्रातिपदिक); समासः
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग; द्वितीया-एकवचन अर्थे ‘शान्त्यर्थम्/for the sake of peace’

• yājñavalkyaḥ: Yājñavalkya
• yājñavalkyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yājñavalkya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tu: but, indeed
• tu: Nipāta (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/indeed)

• pārthivasya: of the king
• pārthivasya: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārthiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• niveśanam: residence, dwelling
• niveśanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niveśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (narratorial voice, as typical in Māhātmya sections)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yājñavalkya, carrying ritual implements, departs from Śākalya’s abode and approaches the king’s palace gates, where guards and attendants receive him respectfully for a śānti ceremony.

Characters & Entities

• Śākalya
• Yājñavalkya
• śānti
• king's residence

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Peace-rites are treated as essential dharma, entrusted to capable sages and performed with disciplined regularity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader tīrtha context remains the Jalaśāyī Hari kṣetra; this verse narrates movement between shrine-community and royal household.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A śānti rite to be performed at the king’s residence, with Yājñavalkya appointed for the task.