Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 8
Devanagari script
प्रस्थिताः समयं कृत्वा स्पर्धमानाः परस्परम् । अहंपूर्वमहं पूर्वं वीक्षयिष्यामि तं विभुम्
Transliteration
prasthitāḥ samayaṃ kṛtvā spardhamānāḥ parasparam | ahaṃpūrvamahaṃ pūrvaṃ vīkṣayiṣyāmi taṃ vibhum
Translation
അവർ സമയം നിശ്ചയിച്ച് പുറപ്പെട്ടു, പരസ്പരം മത്സരിച്ച്—“ഞാൻ ആദ്യം, ഞാൻ ആദ്യം; ആ വിഭുവിനെ ആദ്യം ദർശിക്കും” എന്നു പറഞ്ഞു।
Word by Word
प्रस्थिताःhaving set out; departed
प्रस्थिताः:
Kriya/State (क्रिया/अवस्था)
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-स्था (धातु)
Formकृदन्त—क्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
समयम्an agreement; a pact
समयम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootसमय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
कृत्वाhaving made
कृत्वा:
Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (धातु)
Formकृदन्त—क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)
स्पर्धमानाःcompeting
स्पर्धमानाः:
Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootस्पर्ध् (धातु)
Formकृदन्त—शतृ (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
परस्परम्with one another
परस्परम्:
Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपरस्पर (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
Formअव्ययप्रयोग (reciprocal adverb)
अहम्I
अहम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन
पूर्वम्first
पूर्वम्:
Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययप्रयोग (adverb) ‘first/before’
अहम्I
अहम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन
पूर्वम्first
पूर्वम्:
Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययप्रयोग (adverb)
वीक्षयिष्यामिI will see
वीक्षयिष्यामि:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवीक्ष् (धातु)
Formलृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
तम्him
तम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
विभुम्the mighty lord
विभुम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootविभु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
Speaker
Sūta
Tirtha Mahatmya
Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara
Type: temple
Visual Art Cues
Scene: Sages set out together, some gesturing ‘I first’, their strides quick, staffs lifted, dust rising from the path—devotion tinged with playful rivalry.
Characters & Entities
H
Hāṭakeśvara (implied as vibhu)M
Munayaḥ (Sages)FAQs
Even spiritual seekers can fall into rivalry; the narrative sets up a teaching that devotion should be joined with humility.
The destination is Hāṭakeśvara in the Vārāṇasī sacred region.
None—this verse describes the pilgrims’ resolve and competitive mood.