Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

नन्दिनोऽपि गजास्यस्य महाकालस्य पुत्रक । तिष्ठ सौम्य मया सौख्यं न स्मरिष्यसि बांधवान्

Transliteration

nandino'pi gajāsyasya mahākālasya putraka | tiṣṭha saumya mayā saukhyaṃ na smariṣyasi bāṃdhavān

Translation

ಓ ಪ್ರಿಯ ಪುತ್ರಕಾ! ನಂದಿಯಂತೆಯೂ ಗಜಾನನನಂತೆಯೂ ಮಹಾಕಾಲನ ಪುತ್ರನೇ—ಓ ಸೌಮ್ಯ, ನನ್ನೊಂದಿಗೆ ಇಲ್ಲಿಯೇ ನಿಲ್ಲು. ನನ್ನ ಸಾನ್ನಿಧ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಸುಖವಾಗಿ ವಾಸಿಸಿದರೆ ನೀನು ಲೋಕಬಂಧುಗಳನ್ನು ಮತ್ತೆ ಸ್ಮರಿಸುವುದಿಲ್ಲ.

Word by Word

• नन्दिनः: of Nandin
• नन्दिनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive/6th), एकवचनम्

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि (also/even)

• गजास्यस्य: of the elephant-faced (one)
• गजास्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक) + आस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (गजस्य आस्यम्/गज-आस्यः ‘elephant-faced’)

• महाकालस्य: of Mahākāla
• महाकालस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (महान् कालः)

• पुत्रक: O child/son
• पुत्रक: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (Vocative), एकवचनम्

• तिष्ठ: stay/stand
• तिष्ठ: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• सौम्य: O gentle one
• सौम्य: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; संबोधन-विशेषणवत्

• मया: by me/with me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/Agent-instrumental/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम्

• सौख्यम्: comfort/happiness
• सौख्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• स्मरिष्यसि: you will remember
• स्मरिष्यसि: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकारः (Simple Future), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• बान्धवान्: relatives/kinsmen
• बान्धवान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बान्धव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

Speaker

Śiva (Mahākāla), addressing the newly accepted devotee (Bhṛṅgirīṭi in immediate context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva (moon-crested) addresses a youthful devotee/being, calling him ‘child of Mahākāla’, inviting him to remain in the sacred precinct; the atmosphere is protective and otherworldly, with hints of gaṇa presence.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Mahākāla)
• Nandin
• Gaṇeśa (Gajāsya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine closeness brings inner bliss and natural detachment from worldly ties.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse invokes Mahākāla (strongly associated with Ujjain in wider Purāṇic sacred geography), but this shloka alone does not explicitly name the location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; it describes the fruit of grace—abiding with the Lord in spiritual happiness and detachment.