Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

एवं स्नात्वा तथाऽभ्यर्च्य देवान्विप्रान्नृपोत्तमाः । धृतराष्ट्रसमायुक्ता जग्मुः स्वशिबिरं ततः

Transliteration

evaṃ snātvā tathā'bhyarcya devānviprānnṛpottamāḥ | dhṛtarāṣṭrasamāyuktā jagmuḥ svaśibiraṃ tataḥ

Translation

Après s’être ainsi baignés et avoir dûment adoré les dieux et honoré les brāhmaṇa, les rois d’élite—avec Dhṛtarāṣṭra—partirent alors vers leur propre camp.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner: “thus”)

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); “having bathed”

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: “likewise/so”)

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यर्च्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु) उपसर्गः अभि-
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); “having worshipped”

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचन (Accusative plural)

• विप्रान्: the brāhmaṇas
• विप्रान्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचन (Accusative plural)

• नृपोत्तमाः: the best of kings
• नृपोत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन (Nominative plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थे “नृपेषु उत्तमाः” (best among kings)

• धृतराष्ट्रसमायुक्ताः: accompanied by Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• धृतराष्ट्रसमायुक्ताः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृतराष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक) + समायुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, सम्+युज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (agreeing with नृपोत्तमाः); “धृतराष्ट्रेण समायुक्ताः/सह” (associated with Dhṛtarāṣṭra)

• जग्मुः: went
• जग्मुः: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन (3rd person plural)

• स्वशिबिरम्: to their own camp
• स्वशिबिरम्: Karman (Goal as object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शिबिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (Accusative singular); “स्वं शिबिरम्” (their own camp)

• ततः: thereafter/from there
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/कालवाचक (ablatival adverb: “from there/then”)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration; likely Sūta in the Tīrthamāhātmya frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: tirtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A riverside/ford scene: royal party finishing ablutions, offering arghya and flowers to deities, then respectfully giving gifts to seated brāhmaṇas; Dhṛtarāṣṭra is present, attendants guide him; the group turns back toward a distant camp with banners.

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• kings
• devas
• brāhmaṇas
• snāna
• arcana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha-visit is completed by snāna, devapūjā, and honoring brāhmaṇas—then one returns to worldly duties purified.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse marks the conclusion of rites at the kṣetra described in Adhyāya 72, without naming the site in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (ritual bathing) and abhyarcana (worship) of devas and vipras (honoring brāhmaṇas).