Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

पालयध्वं प्रयास्यामि स्वगृहं प्रति सत्वरम् । प्रेरितः पितृभिर्दिव्यैः स्वर्गमार्गसमाश्रितैः

Transliteration

pālayadhvaṃ prayāsyāmi svagṛhaṃ prati satvaram | preritaḥ pitṛbhirdivyaiḥ svargamārgasamāśritaiḥ

Translation

«Gardez-les et entretenez-les ; je partirai sans tarder vers ma demeure, pressé par mes ancêtres divins qui demeurent sur la voie du ciel.»

Word by Word

• पालयध्वम्: protect (you all)
• पालयध्वम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन; Imperative 2nd pl (protect/maintain)

• प्रयास्यामि: I will depart
• प्रयास्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-या (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (भविष्यत्), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; Simple future 1st sg (I shall depart)

• स्वगृहम्: to (my) own house
• स्वगृहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + गृह (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Tatpuruṣa (स्वस्य गृहं)

• प्रति: towards
• प्रति: Gati (Direction/गति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय; direction marker (towards) governing accusative

• सत्वरम्: quickly
• सत्वरम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सत्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय; adverb (quickly/hastily)

• प्रेरितः: impelled
• प्रेरितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-ईर्/ईर् (धातु) → प्रेरित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Past passive participle (impelled)

• पितृभिः: by the Pitṛs (manes)
• पितृभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (by the fathers/manes)

• दिव्यैः: divine
• दिव्यैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; agrees with पितृभिः; Instrumental plural (divine)

• स्वर्गमार्गसमाश्रितैः: who have resorted to the path to heaven
• स्वर्गमार्गसमाश्रितैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ग + मार्ग + सम्-आ-श्रि (धातु) → समाश्रित (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Tatpuruṣa (स्वर्गमार्गं समाश्रिताः); PPP (क्त) used adjectivally, agreeing with पितृभिः

Speaker

Bhīṣma

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The donor-king prepares to depart from the kṣetra, pointing back toward the shrines as he instructs protection; behind him, a subtle visionary motif of luminous pitṛs on a celestial path suggests ancestral urging.

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes continuity—sacred institutions must be protected so the tīrtha’s spiritual benefit remains available to future devotees.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The kṣetra/tīrtha of Nāgarakhaṇḍa Adhyāya 57 (not named in this excerpt), where Bhīṣma has established shrines.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ongoing protection and maintenance (pālana) of the shrines and their worship arrangements.