Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

तस्मात्तव निवासेन भूयान्मेध्यतमं पुनः । एतन्मे वांछितं देव देहि तुष्टिं गतो यदि

Transliteration

tasmāttava nivāsena bhūyānmedhyatamaṃ punaḥ | etanme vāṃchitaṃ deva dehi tuṣṭiṃ gato yadi

Translation

“അതുകൊണ്ട് നിങ്ങൾ ഇവിടെ വസിക്കുന്നതാൽ ഇത് ഇനിയും അത്യന്തം ശുദ്ധമാകട്ടെ. ദേവാ, ഇതാണ് എന്റെ അഭിലഷിത വരം—നിങ്ങൾ പ്രസന്നനാണെങ്കിൽ ദയചെയ്തു നൽകുക।”

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (Reason marker/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् (पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण निपातवत्) — ‘अतः/तस्मात्’ (therefore)

• tava: of you
• tava: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन — ‘तव’ (of you)

• nivāsena: by (your) dwelling
• nivāsena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nivāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन — ‘निवासेन’ (by residence/dwelling)

• bhūyān: greater
• bhūyān: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhūyas (प्रातिपदिक; तुलनात्मक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तुलनात्मक — ‘भूयान्’ (greater/more)

• medhyatamam: most pure
• medhyatamam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: medhya-tama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तमप्-प्रत्यय (superlative) — ‘अत्यन्तं मेध्यं’ (most pure)

• punaḥ: again / further
• punaḥ: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — ‘पुनः’ (again/further)

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — ‘एतत्’ (this)

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (6th/4th), एकवचन — ‘मे’ (my/to me); अत्र ‘मम’ (my)

• vāṃchitam: desired (boon)
• vāṃchitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāṃchita (प्रातिपदिक; √vāñch + kta)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — ‘वाञ्छितम्’ (desired boon)

• deva: O Lord
• deva: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन — ‘देव’ (O god)

• dehi: grant
• dehi: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — ‘देहि’ (give)

• tuṣṭim: satisfaction
• tuṣṭim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tuṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — ‘तुष्टिम्’ (satisfaction/pleasure)

• gataḥ: having attained
• gataḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gam (धातु) + kta (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘गतः’ (having attained/obtained)

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (Conditional particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (सम्बन्धबोधक-निपात) — ‘यदि’ (if)

Speaker

The King

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Audience/ṛṣis (implicit)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king petitions Śiva: ‘By Your dwelling here, may this place become even more supremely pure’; Śiva stands as kṣetrapāla, the landscape subtly brightening as if sanctified.

Characters & Entities

• Hāṭakeśvara (implied Śiva as resident deity)
• Deva (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The highest boon is not personal gain but the establishment of enduring divine presence for the welfare and purification of all.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra, envisioned as becoming even more sanctified through Śiva’s continued residence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A devotional petition (vara-yācñā) asking the deity to abide in the place—foundational to temple/kṣetra tradition.