Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

यस्मान्मत्स्योदराज्जातो योगिनां प्रवरो ह्ययम् । तस्मात्तु मत्स्य नाथेति लोके ख्यातो भविष्यति

Transliteration

yasmānmatsyodarājjāto yogināṃ pravaro hyayam | tasmāttu matsya nātheti loke khyāto bhaviṣyati

Translation

ഈയാൾ യോഗികളിൽ ശ്രേഷ്ഠൻ, മത്സ്യത്തിന്റെ ഉദരത്തിൽ നിന്നു ജനിച്ചതിനാൽ, ലോകത്തിൽ ‘മത്സ്യനാഥൻ’ എന്ന നാമത്തിൽ പ്രസിദ്ധനാകും.

Word by Word

• यस्मात्: since/because
• यस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोगः (indeclinable usage) अर्थे—‘यतः’ (since/from which cause)

• मत्स्य-उदरात्: from the fish’s belly
• मत्स्य-उदरात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य (प्रातिपदिक) + उदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (मत्स्यस्य उदरम्)

• जातः: was born/arose
• जातः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• योगिनाम्: of yogins
• योगिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• प्रवरः: the foremost
• प्रवरः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (indeed)

• अयम्: this one/he
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन, सर्वनाम

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोगः अर्थे—‘अतः’ (therefore/from that reason)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (but/indeed)

• मत्स्य-नाथ: ‘Lord of the fish’ (name)
• मत्स्य-नाथ: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य (प्रातिपदिक) + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (नामरूपेण), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (मत्स्यस्य नाथः)

• इति: thus/so (called)
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; इत्यर्थे (quotative marker)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• ख्यातः: famous/renowned
• ख्यातः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ख्या (धातु) → ख्यात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (भविष्यति इत्यस्य पूरकः)

• भविष्यति: will become
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; naming/prophecy within the story, under Śaiva frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva or sages proclaim the new name ‘Matsyanātha’ for the rescued yogin; the great fish lies subdued nearby, while the yogin stands humbled, newly reborn into renown.

Characters & Entities

• Matsyanātha
• yogins
• fish (matsya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A transformed life becomes a spiritual title: divine destiny can convert an extraordinary trial into a mark of yogic eminence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse itself focuses on the yogi’s naming; the specific tīrtha-name is not stated in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a prophetic naming (khyāti) rooted in narrative causality.