Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

षडक्षरेण मन्त्रेण कीर्तनीयं च शक्तितः । वांछद्भिर्वांछितान्कामान्दुर्लभांस्त्रिदशैरपि

Transliteration

ṣaḍakṣareṇa mantreṇa kīrtanīyaṃ ca śaktitaḥ | vāṃchadbhirvāṃchitānkāmāndurlabhāṃstridaśairapi

Translation

Et, selon ses forces, le mantra aux six syllabes doit être récité et proclamé; à ceux qui le désirent, il accorde les buts souhaités, des grâces difficiles à obtenir même pour les dieux.

Word by Word

• ṣaṭ-akṣareṇa: with the six-syllabled (mantra)
• ṣaṭ-akṣareṇa: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaṭ + akṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (‘षट् अक्षराणि’ = six syllables)

• mantreṇa: by the mantra
• mantreṇa: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• kīrtanīyam: to be recited/praised
• kīrtanīyam: Karma (Predicate adjective of object/कर्मविधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kīrt (कीर्त् धातु)
• Form: अनीयर्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive): नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (liṅgam/नाम) प्रति विधेय-विशेषणम्—‘to be praised/recited’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक)

• śaktitaḥ: according to ability
• śaktitaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śaktitas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषणम्): ‘शक्तितः’ = according to one’s ability

• vāṃchadbhis: by those desiring
• vāṃchadbhis: Kartā (Agent in instrumental plural/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vāṃch (वाञ्छ् धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle): पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; कर्तृवाचक-विशेषणम् (जनैः implied)

• vāṃchitān: desired
• vāṃchitān: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vāṃchita (प्रातिपदिक; √vāṃch)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle used adjectivally): पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (kāmān)

• kāmān: wishes
• kāmān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• durlabhān: hard to obtain
• durlabhān: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur + labha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (‘दुः’ + ‘लभ’ = hard to obtain); विशेषणम् (kāmān)

• tridaśais: by the gods
• tridaśais: Karaṇa/Upamāna (Instrument/standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tridaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अपि = even)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual: Sūta)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devotees seated near a liṅga shrine, counting beads, chanting a six-syllabled mantra; the air vibrates with sacred sound, and subtle divine radiance suggests mantra-siddhi granting rare boons.

Characters & Entities

• Ṣaḍakṣara-mantra
• Devas (Tridaśa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Mantra-kīrtana, when aligned with a sanctified place and sincere intent, is portrayed as a powerful means to attain even rare outcomes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Nāgarakhaṇḍa liṅga-tīrtha of Adhyāya 30, where ṣaḍakṣara-mantra practice is recommended.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Kīrtana/japa of the ṣaḍakṣara-mantra, performed śaktitaḥ—according to one’s strength and capacity.