Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

तत्रैव वसतिः कार्या समस्तैः पन्नगोत्तमैः । यथा भूयो वसेन्नैव तथा कार्यं च तत्पुरम्

Transliteration

tatraiva vasatiḥ kāryā samastaiḥ pannagottamaiḥ | yathā bhūyo vasennaiva tathā kāryaṃ ca tatpuram

Translation

ഹേ പന്നഗോത്തമന്മാരേ! നിങ്ങൾ എല്ലാവരും അവിടെയേ വസിക്കണം; ആ നഗരത്തെ ഇനി ഒരിക്കലും ആരും പാർക്കാത്തവിധം ചെയ്യുക।

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/अवधारण (emphasis)

• वसतिः: dwelling/residence
• वसतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसति (प्रातिपदिक; √वस् ‘to dwell’ से भाववाचक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कार्या: should be made/arranged
• कार्या: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicative adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय; कार्य)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: ‘to be done/should be made’)

• समस्तैः: by all (together)
• समस्तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• पन्नगोत्तमैः: by the best serpents
• पन्नगोत्तमैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पन्नग + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘उत्तमाः पन्नगाः’

• यथा: so that/as
• यथा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Manner/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (as/so that)

• भूयः: again
• भूयः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस्/भूयः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरर्थक (again/further)

• वसेत्: should dwell
• वसेत्: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

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

• एव: at all/indeed
• एव: Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/in that way)

• कार्यम्: it should be done
• कार्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृत्; कार्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, ‘कार्यं’ = ‘that which should be done’

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तत्पुरम्: that city
• तत्पुरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् + पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘तस्य पुरम्’ (that city)

Speaker

Pannagādhipa (Śeṣa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Camatkārapura

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Foremost nāgas establish a permanent encampment around the ruined city, coiling at gates and crossroads; warning signs of abandonment—silent streets, broken doors—while the nāgas’ presence prevents re-settlement.

Characters & Entities

• Śeṣa
• Nāgas
• Camatkārapura

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Places, like persons, bear the imprint of adharma in Purāṇic imagination; the verse portrays lasting social-spiritual fallout from grave sin.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative frame belongs to Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra; the verse itself continues the Camatkārapura episode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an instruction about settlement and non-resettlement, not a rite.