Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

ततः पुण्यतमं क्षेत्रं कन्यादानस्य स क्षमम् । संध्याय ससुतामात्यः सभृत्यः समुपस्थितः

Transliteration

tataḥ puṇyatamaṃ kṣetraṃ kanyādānasya sa kṣamam | saṃdhyāya sasutāmātyaḥ sabhṛtyaḥ samupasthitaḥ

Translation

Alors il choisit un kṣetra très saint, digne du Kanyādāna, l’offrande sacrée de la fille. Au temps du crépuscule, il y arriva avec sa fille, ses ministres et ses serviteurs.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, तस्मात्/अनन्तरम् इत्यर्थे (ablatival adverb: then/from that)

• पुण्यतमम्: most holy
• पुण्यतमम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तमप्-प्रत्ययान्त (superlative)

• क्षेत्रम्: a sacred place/field
• क्षेत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कन्यादानस्य: of giving the maiden (kanyādāna)
• कन्यादानस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कन्यायाः दानम्)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• क्षमम्: fit, suitable
• क्षमम्: Kriya (Predicative/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative adjective)

• संध्याय: at twilight
• संध्याय: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; कालवाचक-तृतीया (temporal instrumental: at twilight)

• ससुतामात्यः: with (his) sons and ministers
• ससुतामात्यः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + सुत + अमात्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष/सह-समास (सुतैः अमात्यैः सह = with sons and ministers)

• सभृत्यः: with servants
• सभृत्यः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + भृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष/सह-समास (भृत्यैः सह = with servants)

• समुपस्थितः: arrived / was present
• समुपस्थितः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उप-स्था (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (acting as finite: arrived/was present)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣayaḥ / dvijāḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dakṣa, accompanied by Satī, ministers, and attendants, approaches at twilight a supremely sacred kṣetra chosen for the kanyādāna; lamps begin to glow as the sky darkens.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Dakṣa
• Satī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rites like kanyādāna gain greater sanctity when performed in a supremely holy kṣetra with proper timing and reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A “puṇyatama kṣetra” is emphasized; in this adhyāya the wider frame is the Hāṭakeśvara sacred region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Kanyādāna is indicated, along with choosing an auspicious sacred location and arriving at saṃdhyā (twilight).