Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

प्रोचतुस्ते वरं हृत्स्थं प्रार्थ्यतामिति दुर्लभम्

Transliteration

procatuste varaṃ hṛtsthaṃ prārthyatāmiti durlabham

Translation

彼女らは言った。「汝の胸に宿る願いを求めよ――得難きものといえども。」

Word by Word

• प्रोचतुः: they said
• प्रोचतुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन; ‘प्रोचतुः’ = they said/declared

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• हृत्स्थम्: situated in the heart
• हृत्स्थम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृत् (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हृदि स्थितम्)

• प्रार्थ्यताम्: let it be asked
• प्रार्थ्यताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अर्थ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे ‘let it be requested/asked’

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्य-समाप्ति सूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• दुर्लभम्: hard to obtain
• दुर्लभम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + लभ (धातु-आधारित प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘hard to obtain’

Speaker

The manifested goddesses (Devatās/Śaktis) speaking to the supplicants

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two radiant goddesses address petitioners, inviting them to ask the heart-held boon; the setting hints at a sacred water-body nearby, with attendants in reverent posture.

Characters & Entities

• Devatā
• Vara (boon)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sincere worship at a tīrtha culminates in divine grace—boons are granted according to the devotee’s heart.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The kuṇḍa functions as a boon-bestowing center where Devī directly responds to devotees.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No new rite; the verse frames the fruit of prior worship: vara-prāpti (receiving a boon).