Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

कापिष्ठलाः शार्कराख्या दत्ताख्याः सप्तसप्ततिः । शार्कवानां शतं प्रोक्तं दार्ज्यानां सप्तसप्ततिः

Transliteration

kāpiṣṭhalāḥ śārkarākhyā dattākhyāḥ saptasaptatiḥ | śārkavānāṃ śataṃ proktaṃ dārjyānāṃ saptasaptatiḥ

Translation

കാപിഷ്ഠലർ, ശാർകരർ എന്നു വിളിക്കപ്പെടുന്നവർ, ദത്തർ എന്നു പ്രസിദ്ധർ—ഇവർ എല്ലാം എഴുപത്തേഴു. ശാർകവർ നൂറെന്ന് പറയപ്പെടുന്നു; ദാർജ്യരും എഴുപത്തേഴു.

Word by Word

• कापिष्ठलाः: the Kāpiṣṭhalas (a group/lineage)
• कापिष्ठलाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कापिष्ठल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• शार्कराख्याः: those called Śārkara
• शार्कराख्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शार्कर-आख्या (प्रातिपदिक; आख्या=नाम/epithet)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• दत्ताख्याः: those called Datta
• दत्ताख्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दत्त-आख्या (प्रातिपदिक; आख्या=नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सप्तसप्ततिः: seventy-seven
• सप्तसप्ततिः: Visheshya (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त-सप्तति (प्रातिपदिक; संख्या)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• शार्कवानाम्: of the Śārkavas
• शार्कवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शार्कव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक; संख्या)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रोक्तम्: declared/said
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘(is) said/declared’

• दार्ज्यानाम्: of the Dārjyas
• दार्ज्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दार्ज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सप्तसप्ततिः: seventy-seven
• सप्तसप्ततिः: Visheshya (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त-सप्तति (प्रातिपदिक; संख्या)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrimage assembly where scribes/priests recite and record the names and counts of Brahmin groups; palm-leaf registers, ritual seats, and a tīrtha backdrop (riverbank/temple courtyard).

Characters & Entities

• Kāpiṣṭhala
• Śārkara
• Datta
• Śārkava
• Dārjya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sanctity of a pilgrimage place is mirrored in the breadth of its dharmic communities; supporting them is treated as a sacred duty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Tīrtha is within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya; this line continues the census-like praise rather than naming the site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Not explicit in this verse; it supports the broader injunction to render satkāra and dāna to these groups.