Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

गत्वा स सत्वरं तत्र यत्र राजा बृहद्बलः । प्रोवाच सकलं वाक्यमानर्ताधिपतेः स्फुटम्

Transliteration

gatvā sa satvaraṃ tatra yatra rājā bṛhadbalaḥ | provāca sakalaṃ vākyamānartādhipateḥ sphuṭam

Translation

അവൻ വേഗത്തിൽ രാജാവ് വൃഹദ്ബലൻ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നിടത്തേക്ക് ചെന്നു, അനർത്താധിപന്റെ മുഴുവൻ സന്ദേശവും വ്യക്തമായി അറിയിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having gone)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग

• सत्वरम्: quickly
• सत्वरम्: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सत्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: quickly/hastily)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb: there)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक देशवाचक (relative adverb: where)

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject of relative clause/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग

• बृहद्बलः: Vṛhadbala
• बृहद्बलः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृहत् + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग; कर्मधारय-समास

• प्रोवाच: told/declared
• प्रोवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र- वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• सकलम्: entire/whole
• सकलम्: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग; विशेषण (of वाक्यम्)

• वाक्यम्: message/speech
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• अनर्ताधिपतेः: of the lord of Anarta
• अनर्ताधिपतेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनर्त + अधिपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अनर्तानाम् अधिपतिः)

• स्फुटम्: clearly
• स्फुटम्: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्फुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: clearly/distinctly)

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta implied; not explicit in this verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The messenger arrives at Vṛhadbala’s court and recites the Anarta lord’s message verbatim; the king listens attentively amid court attendants.

Characters & Entities

• Bṛhadbala
• Anartādhipa
• Anarta
• Daśārṇa (implied by Bṛhadbala’s title in context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld through truthful, clear communication and proper transmission of commitments.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader glorification is of Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra; this verse advances the storyline leading into that māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it narrates the delivery of a message.