Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

अगस्त्येन विना नैष शोषं यास्यति सागरः । तस्मात्संप्रार्थयामोत्र कृत्ये गत्वा मुनीश्वरम्

Transliteration

agastyena vinā naiṣa śoṣaṃ yāsyati sāgaraḥ | tasmātsaṃprārthayāmotra kṛtye gatvā munīśvaram

Translation

അഗസ്ത്യനില്ലാതെ ഈ സാഗരം വറ്റുകയില്ല. അതിനാൽ ഈ കൃത്യസിദ്ധിക്കായി ചെന്നു ആ മുനീശ്വരനെ വിനയത്തോടെ പ്രാർത്ഥിക്കാം.

Word by Word

• अगस्त्येन: by Agastya
• अगस्त्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अगस्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (Exclusion/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपपद) — governs तृतीया/पञ्चमी; here with तृतीया

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध) — negation

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

• शोषम्: drying up; desiccation
• शोषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• यास्यति: will go/undergo
• यास्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्/Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• सागरः: the ocean
• सागरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; एषः इति विशेष्य

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् इति हेत्वर्थे अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः (ablatival adverb) — 'therefore/from that reason'

• संप्रार्थयामः: we beseech
• संप्रार्थयामः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + प्र + अर्थय् (धातु; नामधातु from अर्थ)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• उत्र: there
• उत्र: Adhikarana (Place/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक) — 'there'

• कृत्ये: in this task/duty
• कृत्ये: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; कार्ये (in the matter to be done)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययभाव; gerund/absolutive) — 'having gone'

• मुनीश्वरम्: the lord of sages
• मुनीश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

Speaker

Devas (deduced: collective decision within narrative; exact individual speaker not explicit)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Camatkārapura (anticipated)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A spokesperson among the devas declares that without Agastya the ocean cannot be dried; the assembly turns from self-reliance to supplication, preparing to journey to the sage.

Characters & Entities

• Agastya
• sāgara (ocean)
• munīśvara (sage-lord)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True resolution comes through humility and seeking realized sages; spiritual authority is portrayed as transformative.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Agastya’s locale is about to be specified in the next verses; this verse itself highlights his indispensability.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal ritual; it prescribes approaching and petitioning a great muni for a righteous task.