Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

स त्वं वद महाभाग कस्माद्देशात्समागतः । मम चित्तहरो वापि तीर्थे धर्मिष्ठसंश्रये

Transliteration

sa tvaṃ vada mahābhāga kasmāddeśātsamāgataḥ | mama cittaharo vāpi tīrthe dharmiṣṭhasaṃśraye

Translation

Dis-moi donc, ô bienheureux : de quel pays es-tu venu ? Et pourquoi as-tu ravi mon cœur ici, en ce tīrtha, refuge des plus fermes dans le dharma ?

Word by Word

• सः: he/that (you)
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वद: tell; speak
• वद: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘महान् भागः यस्य’ (honorific)

• कस्मात्: from what
• कस्मात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन

• देशात्: from (which) country/place
• देशात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन

• समागतः: arrived; come
• समागतः: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) ‘समागत’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘त्वम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• चित्तहरः: heart-stealing; captivating
• चित्तहरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्त (प्रातिपदिक) + हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘चित्तस्य हरः’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle)

• अपि: also; even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/सम्भावना-निपात (also/even)

• तीर्थे: in the sacred place
• तीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• धर्मिष्ठसंश्रये: in the refuge of the very righteous
• धर्मिष्ठसंश्रये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + संश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘धर्मिष्ठस्य संश्रयः’ (a refuge of the most righteous)

Speaker

Menakā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: sangam

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: fortunate traveler/brāhmaṇa (addressed as mahābhāga)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Menakā, softened by attraction, questions a traveler at a sacred ford; the tīrtha is shown as serene—steps to water, a small shrine, and ascetics nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Menakā
• tīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even in a holy place famed as a shelter of dharma, the aspirant may face distractions; the setting heightens the importance of inner restraint.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse praises the tīrtha as a ‘refuge of the most righteous,’ but does not specify its proper name in this excerpt.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is stated; the emphasis is on the sanctity of the tīrtha and the ethical atmosphere associated with it.