Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

आनर्तविषये क्षेत्रं हाटकेश्वरसंज्ञितम् । अस्मदीयं सहस्राक्ष विद्यते धरणीतले

Transliteration

ānartaviṣaye kṣetraṃ hāṭakeśvarasaṃjñitam | asmadīyaṃ sahasrākṣa vidyate dharaṇītale

Translation

ആനർത്തദേശത്തിൽ ‘ഹാടകേശ്വര’ എന്ന പേരുള്ള ഒരു പുണ്യക്ഷേത്രം ഉണ്ട്; ഹേ സഹസ്രാക്ഷ, അത് നമ്മുടെതും ഭൂമിയിൽ നിലനിൽക്കുന്നതുമാണ്।

Word by Word

• आनर्तविषये: in the region of Ānarta
• आनर्तविषये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनर्त + विषय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः: आनर्तस्य विषयः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• क्षेत्रम्: a sacred field/place
• क्षेत्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हाटकेश्वरसंज्ञितम्: named ‘Hāṭakeśvara’
• हाटकेश्वरसंज्ञितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हाटकेश्वर + संज्ञित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त (PPP) from संज्ञा/संज्ञि (to be named) in adjectival use; समासः: हाटकेश्वर इति संज्ञितम् (तत्पुरुष)

• अस्मदीयम्: belonging to me/ours
• अस्मदीयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अस्मदीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; स्वत्ववाचक विशेषण (possessive adjective)

• सहस्राक्ष: O Thousand-eyed one (Indra)
• सहस्राक्ष: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्राक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: सहस्रम् अक्षाणि यस्य (one who has a thousand eyes)

• विद्यते: exists; is found
• विद्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• धरणीतले: on the surface of the earth
• धरणीतले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरणी + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः: धरण्याः तलम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Deva (contextually Śiva, since Hāṭakeśvara is a Śaiva kṣetra and later verses mention Śūlin)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A divine speaker points out (or reveals) a sacred field in Ānarta named Hāṭakeśvara, addressing Sahasrākṣa; the landscape hints at western India—dry plains, coastal light, temple silhouette.

Characters & Entities

• Ānarta
• Hāṭakeśvara
• Sahasrākṣa (Indra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇas map divinity onto geography—certain places are declared ‘kṣetras’ where divine presence is especially accessible.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra in the Ānarta region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Not yet; the next verses prescribe building, installation, and worship to sustain divine presence.