Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

ऋषय ऊचुः । किं तत्कार्यं वसेद्येन क्षेत्रे मासचतुष्टयम् । हिमाचले यथैवाष्टौ सूतपुत्र वदस्व नः

Transliteration

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | kiṃ tatkāryaṃ vasedyena kṣetre māsacatuṣṭayam | himācale yathaivāṣṭau sūtaputra vadasva naḥ

Translation

ഋഷിമാർ പറഞ്ഞു—ഏത് കാര്യമൂലം ഈ പുണ്യക്ഷേത്രത്തിൽ നാല് മാസം വസിക്കണം? അതുപോലെ ഹിമാചലത്തിൽ എട്ട് മാസം എന്തിന്? ഹേ സൂതപുത്രാ, ഞങ്ങളോട് പറയുക.

Word by Word

• ऋषयः: the sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (कार्यं)

• कार्यम्: purpose, reason
• कार्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• वसेत्: should dwell
• वसेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• येन: by which (reason)
• येन: Karana/Hetu (Instrument/Cause/करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; हेतु/साधनार्थे (by which/for which reason)

• क्षेत्रे: in the sacred place
• क्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• मासचतुष्टयम्: a period of four months
• मासचतुष्टयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक) + चतुष्टय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (चतुष्टयं मासानाम् = four months)

• हिमाचले: in Himālaya (snow-mountain)
• हिमाचले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमाचल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (हिमः अचलः)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Upamana/Comparison (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (as/just as)

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

• अष्टौ: eight (months)
• अष्टौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• सूतपुत्र: O son of Sūta
• सूतपुत्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सूतस्य पुत्रः)

• वदस्व: tell (please)
• वदस्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• नः: to us / for us
• नः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-रूप (Genitive/Dative), बहुवचन; अस्माकम्/अस्मभ्यं अर्थे

Speaker

Ṛṣis (Sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sūta (Sūtaputra)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of sages respectfully question Sūta about the purpose and fruit of staying four months in a kṣetra and eight months in the Himalaya.

Characters & Entities

• Himācala
• Sūta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is not merely a visit; extended residence and disciplined practice in a tīrtha are portrayed as a distinct sādhana with special merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate reference is to ‘the kṣetra’ under discussion and to Himācala (Himalayan sacred region), anticipating a tīrtha-based narrative explanation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A time-based observance is implied: staying for four months in the kṣetra (and eight months in Himācala), typically associated with vrata-like discipline and sustained worship.