Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

तत्पुत्रार्थं प्रवक्ष्यामि युष्माकं स्वामिनः कृते । उपायं येन राजा स्यादानर्त्तो लोकपालकः

Transliteration

tatputrārthaṃ pravakṣyāmi yuṣmākaṃ svāminaḥ kṛte | upāyaṃ yena rājā syādānartto lokapālakaḥ

Translation

നിങ്ങളുടെ സ്വാമിക്ക് പുത്രലാഭം ഉണ്ടാകുന്നതിനായി ഞാൻ ഒരു ഉപായം പറയുന്നു; അതിലൂടെ രക്ഷകനില്ലാത്ത രാജാവും വീണ്ടും ജനങ്ങളുടെ പാലകനാകാം.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (पुत्रार्थम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• पुत्रार्थम्: for (obtaining) a son
• पुत्रार्थम्: Purpose (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-तत्पुरुष (पुत्राय अर्थः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (as purpose)

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I will explain
• प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• युष्माकम्: of you (plural)
• युष्माकम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• स्वामिनः: of (your) lord/master
• स्वामिनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• कृते: for the sake of
• कृते: Purpose (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृते इति निपातवत्; हेत्वर्थे/प्रयोजनार्थे (for the sake of), सप्तमी-एकवचनरूपेण प्रयोगः

• उपायम्: means, method
• उपायम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन, पुं/नपुंसक

• राजा: a king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• स्यात्: may become / would be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• अनर्त्तः: free from misfortune/affliction
• अनर्त्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (राज्ञः)

• लोकपालकः: protector of the people
• लोकपालकः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + पालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लोकानां पालकः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified narrator within Tīrthamāhātmya (context suggests a tīrtha-glorifying speaker addressing attendants/people of a king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa advisor (or sage) speaks with assurance, outlining a method to secure a son and restore the king as protector; attendants listen attentively.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When kingship and social order falter, dharmic means—often connected with tīrtha and merit—are presented as restoratives for both family continuity and public welfare.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The specific tīrtha is introduced in the subsequent verses of this passage (the Vāsiṣṭha Kuṇḍa is named later in this adhyāya).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

This verse announces a forthcoming upāya (means); the concrete rite (tīrtha-related snāna) appears in the later ślokas.