Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

राजोवाच । कच्चित्ते कुशलं विप्र पुत्रशिष्यान्वितस्य च । साग्निहोत्र कलत्रस्य परिवारयुतस्य च

Transliteration

rājovāca | kaccitte kuśalaṃ vipra putraśiṣyānvitasya ca | sāgnihotra kalatrasya parivārayutasya ca

Translation

രാജാവ് പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ വിപ്രാ! നിങ്ങൾ കുശലമാണോ? പുത്രന്മാരും ശിഷ്യന്മാരും, അഗ്നിഹോത്രവും, ഭാര്യയും, കുടുംബപരിവാരവും സഹിതം എല്ലാവർക്കും മംഗളമുണ്ടോ?

Word by Word

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्; nominative singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (परस्मैपदम्), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; perfect (said)

• कच्चित्: is it (indeed)? / I hope
• कच्चित्: Sambandha (Interrogative particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रश्नार्थक-नूनार्थक (interrogative particle: 'whether indeed?')

• ते: for you / to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-शब्दः; चतुर्थी (4/चतुर्थी) एकवचनम् (ते = to you/for you; enclitic)

• कुशलम्: well-being
• कुशलम्: Karman (Object of inquiry/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुशल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचनम्; here as predicate-noun 'well-being'

• विप्र: O brāhmaṇa
• विप्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गे, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचनम्; vocative singular

• पुत्र-शिष्य-अन्वितस्य: of (you) who are accompanied by sons and disciples
• पुत्र-शिष्य-अन्वितस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुत्र + शिष्य + अन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वपूर्वपदसमासः (पुत्रशिष्यौ) ततः तत्पुरुषः/उपपदः (पुत्रशिष्यैः अन्वितः); पुल्लिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6/षष्ठी), एकवचनम्; genitive singular; विशेषणम् (विप्रस्य)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• स-अग्निहोत्र: together with (your) agnihotra rites
• स-अग्निहोत्र: Sambandha (Qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + अग्निहोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावः (सह अग्निहोत्रेण); अव्ययपूर्वक-विशेषणम्; (सम्बद्धं कलत्रस्य/विप्रस्य)

• कलत्रस्य: of (your) wife
• कलत्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6/षष्ठी), एकवचनम्; genitive singular

• परिवार-युतस्य: of (you) who are accompanied by attendants/family
• परिवार-युतस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परिवार (प्रातिपदिक) + युत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (परिवारेण युतः); पुल्लिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6/षष्ठी), एकवचनम्; genitive singular; विशेषणम् (विप्रस्य)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

Speaker

Rājā (Sahasrārjuna/Kārtavīrya Arjuna, implied)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king speaks with folded hands, respectfully asking about the sage’s welfare—sons and disciples nearby, a small agnihotra fire burning, the sage’s wife and household hinted at the hermitage edge, conveying a complete dharmic household.

Characters & Entities

• Vipra (brāhmaṇa sage, Jamadagni implied)
• Agnihotra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes honoring spiritual life in its fullness—lineage, discipleship, household order, and the sacred fire rites.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra narrative stream, emphasizing dharmic conduct within that sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Agnihotra is referenced as the ongoing sacred-fire obligation of a householder-sage.