Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

ततो नागं समारुह्य धृत्वा वंशं करे निजे । मृगचर्माग्रसंयुक्तं तोयमध्ये व्यवस्थितः

Transliteration

tato nāgaṃ samāruhya dhṛtvā vaṃśaṃ kare nije | mṛgacarmāgrasaṃyuktaṃ toyamadhye vyavasthitaḥ

Translation

പിന്നീട് അദ്ദേഹം നാഗത്തെ കയറി, തന്റെ കൈയിൽ വംശദണ്ഡം പിടിച്ചു; അതിന്റെ അഗ്രഭാഗത്ത് മൃഗചർമ്മം ഘടിപ്പിച്ചിരുന്നു; അങ്ങനെ ജലത്തിന്റെ മദ്ധ്യത്തിൽ നിലകൊണ്ടു.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): thereafter

• नागम्: the serpent
• नागम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (accusative sg)

• समारुह्य: having mounted
• समारुह्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund): having mounted

• धृत्वा: having held
• धृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund): having held

• वंशम्: a bamboo staff
• वंशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (accusative sg)

• करे: in (his) hand
• करे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (locative sg)

• निजे: own
• निजे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘करे’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• मृगचर्माग्रसंयुक्तम्: joined with the tip of a deerskin
• मृगचर्माग्रसंयुक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + चर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः: ‘मृगचर्मस्य अग्रेण संयुक्तम्’ (joined with the tip of a deerskin)

• तोयमध्ये: in the middle of the water
• तोयमध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोय (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘तोयस्य मध्ये’ इति सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः

• व्यवस्थितः: stood/was stationed
• व्यवस्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + अव + स्था (धातु) / व्यवस्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; स्थित-भावः

Speaker

Narrative voice (contextual, unspecified in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Hari mounts a great serpent as a living vehicle, holds a bamboo staff whose tip is fitted with deer-hide, and stands poised in the middle of the sacred waters to perform a signaling act.

Characters & Entities

• Nāga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha-rituals are performed with disciplined preparation; the narrative highlights careful observance around sacred waters.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A sacred water-body within Nāgara Khaṇḍa’s Tīrtha-māhātmya (Adhyāya 190), presented as a powerful setting for purification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A preparatory bathing posture/arrangement in the water, using a bamboo staff with deer-hide attached—part of the described rite.