Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

ततः पुत्रकृते गत्वा चकार सुमहत्तपः । चमत्कारपुरे क्षेत्रे लिंगं संस्थाप्य भक्तितः

Transliteration

tataḥ putrakṛte gatvā cakāra sumahattapaḥ | camatkārapure kṣetre liṃgaṃ saṃsthāpya bhaktitaḥ

Translation

അനന്തരം പുത്രലാഭത്തിനായി അവൻ പോയി മഹത്തായ തപസ്സു ചെയ്തു. ചമത്കാരപുരത്തിലെ പുണ്യക്ഷേത്രത്തിൽ ഭക്തിയോടെ ശിവലിംഗം സ്ഥാപിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable adverb; अर्थे: अनन्तरम् (thereafter)

• पुत्रकृते: for (obtaining) a son
• पुत्रकृते: Hetu (Purpose/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + कृते (कृदन्त; कृत-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; हेतौ/निमित्ते (for the sake of)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया (having gone)

• चकार: performed/did
• चकार: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सुमहत्: very great
• सुमहत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of तपः)

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object of चकार)

• चमत्कारपुरे: in Camatkārapura
• चमत्कारपुरे: Adhikarana (Location/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चमत्कारपुर (प्रातिपदिक; चमत्कार + पुर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; स्थानाधिकरण (in the place)

• क्षेत्रे: in the sacred place
• क्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (Location/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (in the sacred field)

• लिङ्गम्: a liṅga (Śiva-emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object of संस्थाप्य)

• संस्थाप्य: having स्थापित/installed
• संस्थाप्य: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्थाप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया (having स्थापित/installed)

• भक्तितः: with devotion
• भक्तितः: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) = 'from/through devotion'; क्रियाविशेषण

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa/Sūta narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Camatkārapura

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A determined ascetic arrives at Camatkārapura-kṣetra, clears a sacred spot, and establishes a Śiva-liṅga with offerings; the kṣetra is shown as serene yet charged with sanctity—trees, a small shrine, and pilgrims witnessing the consecration.

Characters & Entities

• Hariścandra
• Camatkārapura
• Śiva-liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Legitimate worldly aims (like progeny) are to be pursued through devotion, austerity, and worship at sanctified places—aligning desire with dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Camatkārapura-kṣetra is explicitly named as the sacred locale where Hariścandra established a Śiva-liṅga.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-saṃsthāpanā (establishing a Śiva-liṅga) and tapas (austerity) undertaken with bhakti for a desired boon (putra-kāma).