Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

ऋषय ऊचुः । यदेतद्भवता प्रोक्तमात्मानं विनिवेदयेत् । विष्णोः पदस्य संप्राप्ते अयने दक्षिणोत्तरे

Transliteration

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | yadetadbhavatā proktamātmānaṃ vinivedayet | viṣṇoḥ padasya saṃprāpte ayane dakṣiṇottare

Translation

ഋഷിമാർ പറഞ്ഞു—നിങ്ങൾ പ്രസ്താവിച്ചതുപോലെ, വിഷ്ണുവിന്റെ പാദമുദ്രയിൽ എത്തുമ്പോൾ ദക്ഷിണായനമോ ഉത്തരായനമോ ആയ സമയത്ത് ആത്മനിവേദനം ചെയ്യണം എന്നു—

Word by Word

• ऋषयः: the sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेष्य (appositive to यत्)

• भवता: by you (sir)
• भवता: Kartr-karana (Agent expressed in instrumental/कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; आदरार्थक सर्वनाम (honorific pronoun)

• प्रोक्तम्: spoken, stated
• प्रोक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; यत्/एतत्-विशेषण

• आत्मानम्: oneself
• आत्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• विनिवेदयेत्: should submit/dedicate (oneself)
• विनिवेदयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु) + नि-वि (उपसर्ग) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative) अर्थे ‘निवेदनं कुर्यात्’

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• पदस्य: of the foot/abode
• पदस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• संप्राप्ते: when (it is) reached/arrived
• संप्राप्ते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राप् (धातु) + सम् (उपसर्ग) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) ‘संप्राप्त’ = प्राप्ते सति; सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (contextual); सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• अयने: in the solstice/ayana
• अयने: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ayana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• दक्षिणोत्तरे: southern and northern (i.e., both ayanas)
• दक्षिणोत्तरे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + uttara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (दक्षिणं च उत्तरं च), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन; अयने इति विशेषण

Speaker

Ṛṣis (the Sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Viṣṇoḥ Pada

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sūta

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of sages respectfully questioning the narrator about the correct method of self-surrender at Viṣṇu’s footprint during solstice; the footprint shrine visible behind them; sky shows seasonal transition (sun motif).

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Viṣṇupada
• Dakṣiṇāyana
• Uttarāyaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sages highlight ātma-nivedana (self-offering) as a key devotional act connected to sacred time (solstices) and sacred place (Viṣṇupada).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Viṣṇu’s Footprint (Viṣṇupada) tīrtha as praised in the Nāgara Khaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

To surrender oneself (ātma-nivedana) upon reaching Viṣṇupada, especially in the periods of Dakṣiṇāyana or Uttarāyaṇa.