Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

ततो विप्रान्समाहूय सर्वांस्तान्पुरसंभवान् । प्रोवाच प्रणतो भक्त्या धनं दत्त्वा सुपुष्कलम्

Transliteration

tato viprānsamāhūya sarvāṃstānpurasaṃbhavān | provāca praṇato bhaktyā dhanaṃ dattvā supuṣkalam

Translation

Alors il convoqua tous les brāhmaṇa de cette cité ; s’inclinant avec dévotion, il leur adressa la parole et leur fit don de richesses en abondance.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-viseshana (Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक: ‘then’

• विप्रान्: Brahmins
• विप्रान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• समाहूय: having summoned
• समाहूय: Kriya-viseshana (पूर्वक्रिया/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + आ + हु (धातु) → समाहूय (ल्यप्-अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund): ‘having summoned/called together’

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (to ‘तान्’)

• तान्: those (persons)
• तान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• पुरसंभवान्: born in the city
• पुरसंभवान्: Karma (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुर + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक; ‘सम्+भू’ से भाव/कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष): ‘पुरात् सम्भवाः’/‘पुरे सम्भवाः’ = born in the city; विशेषण (to ‘तान्’)

• प्रोवाच: said/spoke
• प्रोवाच: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रणतः: bowed
• प्रणतः: Karta (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु) → प्रणत (क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘bowed down’ (qualifies speaker/subject)

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Kriya-viseshana (पूर्वक्रिया/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त्वा (क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund): ‘having given’

• सुपुष्कलम्: very abundant
• सुपुष्कलम्: Karma (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + पुष्कल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः (कर्मधारय): ‘सु-पुष्कलम्’ = very abundant; विशेषण (to ‘धनम्’)

Speaker

Narrative voice (context: Sūta in Tīrthamāhātmya frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In a temple hall or civic courtyard, the patron bows respectfully before assembled city brāhmaṇas and distributes abundant wealth—coins, cloth, cows/offerings—while priests bless him.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Kaunteya (implied Arjuna)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred works are completed by humility and charity—devotion expressed as dāna strengthens dharma in society.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The same Narāditya tīrtha setting of Adhyāya 60, where the patron supports the local religious community.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Calling brāhmaṇas and giving them abundant wealth as dāna.