Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

लोहजंघ उवाच । एतानि शुभ्रचीराणि वल्कलान्यजिनानि च । उपानहसमेतानि शीघ्रं यच्छंतु मे द्विजाः

Transliteration

lohajaṃgha uvāca | etāni śubhracīrāṇi valkalānyajināni ca | upānahasametāni śīghraṃ yacchaṃtu me dvijāḥ

Translation

លោហជង្គៈមានព្រះវាចា៖ «ឱ ពួកទ្វិជៈ សូមប្រញាប់ផ្តល់ឲ្យខ្ញុំ នូវសម្លៀកបំពាក់ពណ៌សស្អាតទាំងនេះ—ទាំងសំបកឈើ និងស្បែកក្តាន់—ព្រមទាំងស្បែកជើងផង»។

Word by Word

• lohajaṃghaḥ: Lohajaṅgha
• lohajaṃghaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lohajaṃgha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनम् (Nom. sg.); व्यक्तिनाम

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• etāni: these
• etāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचनम् (Acc. pl.)

• śubhra-cīrāṇi: white garments
• śubhra-cīrāṇi: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śubhra (प्रातिपदिक) + cīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचनम् (Acc. pl.)

• valkalāni: bark-cloths
• valkalāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: valkala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचनम् (Acc. pl.)

• ajināni: deerskins
• ajināni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ajina (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचनम् (Acc. pl.)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• upānaha-sametāni: together with sandals
• upānaha-sametāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upānaha (प्रातिपदिक) + sameta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √i + sam)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचनम् (Acc. pl.); ‘उपानहैः समेतानि’ = together with sandals

• śīghram: quickly
• śīghram: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śīghra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्ययवत् (adverbial accusative)

• yacchantu: let them give
• yacchantu: Kriyā (Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yam (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative); प्रथमपुरुष बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• me: to me
• me: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; चतुर्थी एकवचनम् (Dat. sg.)

• dvijāḥ: O twice-born (Brahmins)
• dvijāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Nom. pl.)

Speaker

Lohajaṅgha

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Lohajaṅgha, aggressive and commanding, points toward the sages’ white cloth, bark garments, deer-skins, and sandals; sages recoil yet remain composed, highlighting the clash of violence and ascetic simplicity.

Characters & Entities

• Lohajaṅgha
• Dvija (Brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It highlights preparedness and reverence for dharmic observance—simple, pure attire (cloth, bark-cloth, skin, sandals) supports disciplined conduct in a tīrtha-centered life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse occurs within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya context, but this single śloka does not name a particular tīrtha; the site identification depends on the surrounding verses of Adhyāya 124.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A request for items used in ascetic/ritual life—white garments, bark-cloth, deerskin, and sandals—implying provision/support (a form of dāna or requisites) for religious undertaking.