Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

एवमुक्त्वा ततस्तस्या मंत्रमार्गं यथोचितम् । पूजामार्गं विशेषेण कथयामास विस्तरात्

Transliteration

evamuktvā tatastasyā maṃtramārgaṃ yathocitam | pūjāmārgaṃ viśeṣeṇa kathayāmāsa vistarāt

Translation

Après avoir ainsi parlé, il lui enseigna alors—selon la règle convenable—la voie du mantra, et expliqua tout particulièrement, en détail, la méthode du culte.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्यय; ‘having said’

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तर (then/thereafter)

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मन्त्र-मार्गम्: the method of mantra (practice)
• मन्त्र-मार्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (मन्त्रस्य मार्गः = path/method of mantra)

• यथा-उचितम्: as appropriate
• यथा-उचितम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + उचित (कृदन्त; वच्/उच्?; रूढ-प्रातिपदिक ‘उचित’)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः ‘as is proper’

• पूजा-मार्गम्: the method of worship
• पूजा-मार्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (पूजायाः मार्गः = method of worship)

• विशेषेण: in particular/specially
• विशेषेण: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग (instrumental used adverbially)

• कथयामास: told/explained
• कथयामास: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (णिजन्त; कथ् धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• विस्तरात्: in detail
• विस्तरात्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative) एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग; ‘in detail/at length’

Speaker

Narrator (describing Śiva’s instruction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A guru-like figure instructs a maiden/devotee, demonstrating mantra recitation and the sequence of offerings; ritual manuals or symbolic palm-leaf texts appear; the shrine is prepared for formal worship.

Characters & Entities

• Mantra-mārga
• Pūjā-mārga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is preserved through correct transmission—mantra and worship must be learned and practiced according to proper procedure.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction pertains to the ritual culture of Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra in the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A properly ordered mantra discipline (mantra-mārga) and a detailed worship method (pūjā-mārga) are taught.