Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

। सूत उवाच । तथान्योऽस्ति द्विजश्रेष्ठास्तस्मिन्क्षेत्रे शुभावहे । सप्तर्षीणां सुविख्यात आश्रमः सर्वकामदः

Transliteration

| sūta uvāca | tathānyo'sti dvijaśreṣṭhāstasminkṣetre śubhāvahe | saptarṣīṇāṃ suvikhyāta āśramaḥ sarvakāmadaḥ

Translation

സൂതൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ ദ്വിജശ്രേഷ്ഠന്മാരേ! ആ ശുഭപ്രദമായ ക്ഷേത്രപ്രദേശത്തിൽ മറ്റൊരു പുണ്യസ്ഥലമുണ്ട്—സപ്തർഷികളുടെ സുപ്രസിദ്ധ ആശ്രമം; അത് സർവകാമഫലദായകം.

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta (the narrator)
• सूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• तथा: likewise; thus
• तथा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'thus/likewise')

• अन्यः: another
• अन्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• द्विजश्रेष्ठाः: O best of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजश्रेष्ठाः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक); द्विजश्रेष्ठ (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थे (addressing) प्रथमा-बहुवचनप्रयोगः

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• क्षेत्रे: in the sacred field/place
• क्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शुभावहे: bringing auspiciousness
• शुभावहे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ + आवह (प्रातिपदिक); शुभावह (समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying 'क्षेत्रे')

• सप्तर्षीणाम्: of the seven sages
• सप्तर्षीणाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक); सप्तर्षि (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• सुविख्यातः: well-known
• सुविख्यातः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + विख्यात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक); विख्या (धातु) से क्त-प्रत्यय
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• आश्रमः: hermitage
• आश्रमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वकामदः: granting all desires
• सर्वकामदः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + काम + द (प्रातिपदिक); सर्वकामद (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying 'आश्रमः')

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Saptarṣi-āśrama

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvi-ja-śreṣṭhas (assembled brāhmaṇas/ṛṣis in the frame narrative)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sūta narrates to assembled brāhmaṇas; in the auspicious kṣetra appears a serene forest hermitage marked by seven sages’ seats, sacred fires, and a tīrtha nearby, radiating wish-fulfilling sanctity.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Saptarṣi
• Āśrama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Holy regions contain multiple power-centers; approaching revered ṛṣi-āśramas is presented as a path to auspicious fulfillment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Saptarṣi Āśrama (hermitage of the Seven Sages) within the same auspicious kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated; the verse introduces the site and its boon-granting nature (sarva-kāmada).