Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 197

Devanagari script

उलूक उवाच । एष मे परमं मित्रं नाडीजंघो बकः स्मृतः । एतस्यापि तु मार्कण्डः संस्थितः परमः सुहृत्

Transliteration

ulūka uvāca | eṣa me paramaṃ mitraṃ nāḍījaṃgho bakaḥ smṛtaḥ | etasyāpi tu mārkaṇḍaḥ saṃsthitaḥ paramaḥ suhṛt

Translation

ഉലൂകൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഇവൻ എന്റെ പരമപ്രിയ സുഹൃത്ത്; ‘നാഡീജംഘ’ എന്നു പ്രസിദ്ധനായ ബക (കൊക്ക്). ഇവനുവേണ്ടിയും മാർകണ്ഡൻ പരമസുഹൃത്തായി നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു.

Word by Word

• उलूकः: Ulūka (the owl)
• उलूकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उलूक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एषः: this (one)
• एषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• परमम्: supreme, greatest
• परमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• मित्रम्: friend
• मित्रम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• नाडी-जंघः: Nāḍījaṅgha (proper name)
• नाडी-जंघः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाडी + जंघा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—नाडीवती जंघा यस्य/नाडी-जंघा इति (तत्पुरुषप्राय नाम)

• बकः: the crane
• बकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• स्मृतः: is called
• स्मृतः: Kriya (क्रिया/नामकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘is called/remembered’

• एतस्य: of this (one)
• एतस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अपि: also
• अपि: Emphasis/Addition (बल/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• तु: and, but
• तु: Discourse connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (contrast/continuation)

• मार्कण्डः: Mārkaṇḍa (proper name)
• मार्कण्डः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• संस्थितः: is present, stands
• संस्थितः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘standing/remaining’

• परमः: great, excellent
• परमः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• सुहृत्: friend, well-wisher
• सुहृत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुहृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; हृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक

Speaker

Ulūka

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A nocturnal grove near a sacred waterbody: an owl (Ulūka) speaks earnestly, gesturing toward a tall crane (Nāḍījaṅgha). The atmosphere suggests a council of creatures preserving an ancient secret about a king and a vow.

Characters & Entities

• Ulūka
• Nāḍījaṅgha
• Baka
• Mārkaṇḍa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The righteous journey is supported by noble friendship and trustworthy companions who guide one toward dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it contributes to the larger Tīrthamāhātmya pilgrimage narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is an introduction of companions and their bonds.