Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

ततो रात्रौ समासाद्य स्वं पुरं जनवर्जितम् । द्वारे स्थित्वा समाहूय पुत्रं मंत्रिभिरन्वितम्

Transliteration

tato rātrau samāsādya svaṃ puraṃ janavarjitam | dvāre sthitvā samāhūya putraṃ maṃtribhiranvitam

Translation

ನಂತರ ಅವನು ರಾತ್ರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಜನವರ್ಜಿತವಾದ ತನ್ನ ನಗರವನ್ನು ತಲುಪಿದನು. ದ್ವಾರದಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಂತು ಮಂತ್ರಿಗಳೊಡನೆ ತನ್ನ ಪುತ್ರನನ್ನು ಕರೆಯಿಸಿದನು.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then, thereafter
• tataḥ: Kāla/Deśa-adhikaraṇa (Temporal/locative adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb): 'ततः' = 'thereupon/then'

• rātrau: at night
• rātrau: Adhikaraṇa (Locative: at night)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rātri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• samāsādya: having reached/approached
• samāsādya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Prior action to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√sad (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपदी; 'having approached/reached'

• svam: his own
• svam: Karma (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• puram: city
• puram: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• janavarjitam: devoid of people, deserted
• janavarjitam: Karma (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jana + varjita (प्रातिपदिक; √vṛj/√varj 'to avoid' → varjita)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (जनैः वर्जितम् = people-void) विशेषण of 'puram'

• dvāre: at the gate/door
• dvāre: Adhikaraṇa (Locative: at the gate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• sthitvā: having stood
• sthitvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); 'having stood'

• samāhūya: having summoned
• samāhūya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√hū (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); 'having called/summoned'

• putram: son
• putram: Karma (Object of 'samāhūya')
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• maṃtribhiḥ: with ministers
• maṃtribhiḥ: Sahakāraka (Accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṃtrin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; सहकारक/करण (instrumental of accompaniment)

• anvitam: accompanied, attended
• anvitam: Karma (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anvita (प्रातिपदिक; √i 'to go' with anu- → 'accompanied')
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of 'putram'

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator voice)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lone king arrives at night to his own city, eerily empty; he stands at the gate and calls for his son, ministers gathered behind the prince with lamps.

Characters & Entities

• Ministers (mantrin)
• Son of the king

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma is shaken, social order collapses; leadership must face truth and guide dependents responsibly.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not stated in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.