Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

पश्चिमां दिशमास्थाय प्राङ्मुखः श्रद्धयाऽन्वितः । कृतांजलिपुटो भूत्वा इमं मंत्रमुदीरयेत्

Transliteration

paścimāṃ diśamāsthāya prāṅmukhaḥ śraddhayā'nvitaḥ | kṛtāṃjalipuṭo bhūtvā imaṃ maṃtramudīrayet

Translation

പശ്ചിമ ദിശയിൽ നിന്നുകൊണ്ട്, കിഴക്കോട്ടു മുഖം തിരിച്ച്, ശ്രദ്ധയോടെ, അഞ്ജലി കൂപ്പി ഈ മന്ത്രം ഉച്ചരിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• पश्चिमाम्: western
• पश्चिमाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; दिशम् इति विशेषण

• दिशम्: direction
• दिशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आस्थाय: having taken position (facing/standing)
• आस्थाय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-√स्था (धातु) + क्त्वा (अव्यय-कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive): ‘having taken position/resorted to’

• प्राङ्मुखः: facing east
• प्राङ्मुखः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राङ् + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (प्राङ् मुखं यस्य)

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अन्वितः: endowed (with)
• अन्वितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक; √इ धातोः क्त, अनु-उपसर्गार्थे)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (endowed with)

• कृताञ्जलिपुटः: with hands joined in añjali
• कृताञ्जलिपुटः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + अञ्जलि + पुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (कृतः अञ्जलिपुटः येन)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √भू (धातु) + क्त्वा (अव्यय-कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive): ‘having become’

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; मन्त्रम् इति विशेषण

• मन्त्रम्: mantra
• मन्त्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उदीरयेत्: should utter/recite
• उदीरयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-√ईर् (धातु: to utter/raise)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The yajamāna stands at the western edge of a ritual square, facing the east where a lamp and altar glow. Hands in añjali, eyes lowered, he begins the mantra as priests look on.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Mantra
• Añjali

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Faith and correct orientation/posture discipline the mind, making the act of worship and giving spiritually potent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha-name appears in this verse; it provides general ritual posture within a tīrtha-māhātmya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Positioning (west), facing east, joining hands in añjali, and reciting the prescribed mantra.