Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

अहं देव समायातो मर्त्यलोकात्तवांतिकम् । सत्यसंधो महीपाल आनर्त भुवि विश्रुतः

Transliteration

ahaṃ deva samāyāto martyalokāttavāṃtikam | satyasaṃdho mahīpāla ānarta bhuvi viśrutaḥ

Translation

ഹേ ദേവാ! ഞാൻ മർത്ത്യലോകത്തിൽ നിന്നു നിങ്ങളുടെ സന്നിധിയിലേക്കു വന്നിരിക്കുന്നു. ഞാൻ സത്യസന്ധൻ എന്ന ഭൂപാല രാജാവാണ്; ആനർത്തഭൂമിയിൽ പ്രസിദ്ധൻ.

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुष-सूचक; एकवचन; प्रथमा (Nominative, Singular)

• देव: O god
• देव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; सम्बोधन (Vocative, Singular)

• समायातः: having come / arrived
• समायातः: Karta (Predicate participle/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृत् (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त) कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा; कर्तरि प्रयोग (past participle: 'having come')

• मर्त्यलोकात्: from the mortal world
• मर्त्यलोकात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य-लोक (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; पञ्चमी (Ablative, Singular); समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मर्त्यानां लोकः)

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; एकवचन; षष्ठी (Genitive, Singular)

• अन्तिकम्: near (to the presence)
• अन्तिकम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया (Accusative, Singular); गत्यर्थे कर्म (goal)

• सत्यसन्धः: true to his vow
• सत्यसन्धः: Visheshana (Qualifier of subject/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य-सन्ध (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा (Nominative, Singular); कर्मधारयः (सत्यः सन्धः यस्य/सत्ये सन्धिः)

• महीपाल: O king
• महीपाल: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही-पाल (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; सम्बोधन (Vocative, Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (महीम् पालयति)

• आनर्त: O Ānarta (name)
• आनर्त: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; सम्बोधन (Vocative, Singular)

• भुवि: on earth
• भुवि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक: भुव्/भू)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; एकवचन; सप्तमी (Locative, Singular)

• विश्रुतः: renowned
• विश्रुतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-श्रु (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृत् (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त) कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा; कर्तरि/भावे अर्थः (renowned)

Speaker

The King (Satyasaṃdha)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (standard frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A crowned king, travel-worn yet dignified, stands with folded hands before a radiant deity/creator in a celestial assembly; attendants and gods form a semicircle; the king declares his name and fame in Ānarta.

Characters & Entities

• Deva (addressed; likely Brahmā in this adhyāya context)
• Satyasaṃdha
• Ānarta
• Martyaloka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A ruler’s fame is grounded in truthfulness (satya) and reverent approach to the divine for guidance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse indicates a transition from Martyaloka to a divine realm; the specific tīrtha is not named in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it is a self-introduction within a devotional audience.