Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

ततः शक्रः प्रहृष्टात्मा प्रणम्य वृषभध्वजम् । तस्यादेशं समासाद्य प्रविवेशामरावतीम्

Transliteration

tataḥ śakraḥ prahṛṣṭātmā praṇamya vṛṣabhadhvajam | tasyādeśaṃ samāsādya praviveśāmarāvatīm

Translation

അപ്പോൾ ഹർഷഭരിതഹൃദയനായ ശക്രൻ (ഇന്ദ്രൻ) വൃഷഭധ്വജനായ മഹേശ്വരനെ നമസ്കരിച്ചു. അവന്റെ ആജ്ഞ ലഭിച്ച് അമരാവതിയിൽ പ്രവേശിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, काल/क्रमवाचक (adverb: thereafter)

• शक्रः: Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रहृष्टात्मा: whose heart was delighted
• प्रहृष्टात्मा: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रहृष्ट + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (प्रहृष्टः आत्मा यस्य)

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala-kriya (Absolutive/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having bowed)

• वृषभध्वजम्: Vṛṣabhadhvaja (Śiva, whose banner bears a bull)
• वृषभध्वजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषभ + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-सम्भवः (वृषभः ध्वजः यस्य/वृषभध्वजः)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• आदेशम्: command, instruction
• आदेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• समासाद्य: having obtained/received
• समासाद्य: Purvakala-kriya (Absolutive/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + आ + सद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having obtained/approached)

• प्रविवेश: entered
• प्रविवेश: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + विश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अमरावतीम्: Amarāvatī (Indra’s city)
• अमरावतीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमरावती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (continued narration)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijoत्तमाः (addressed audience: best of twice-born)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra, radiant and relieved, bows with folded hands before Śiva bearing the bull-banner; receiving a command, he turns toward the jeweled city of Amarāvatī.

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Śakra)
• Śiva (Vṛṣabhadhvaja)
• Amarāvatī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the king of the gods gains success through humility and obedience to Śiva—divine order is restored by devotion and rightful command.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

While Amarāvatī is mentioned, the framing section remains the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya of the Nāgara Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Praṇāma (bowing) is exemplified as a devotional act; no formal vrata is specified.