Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

एवं वर्षसहस्रांते भ्रमतस्तस्यभूतलम् । विप्रस्य पक्षिनाथस्य वरार्थाय द्रिजोत्तमाः

Transliteration

evaṃ varṣasahasrāṃte bhramatastasyabhūtalam | viprasya pakṣināthasya varārthāya drijottamāḥ

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ ഭൂമിയിൽ ആയിരം വർഷം സഞ്ചരിച്ച ശേഷം, വരപ്രാപ്തിക്കായി പക്ഷിരാജന്റെ വാഹനത്തിൽ ആരൂഢനായ ആ ബ്രാഹ്മണോത്തമൻ തിരച്ചിൽ തുടർന്നു।

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner: “thus”)

• वर्षसहस्रान्ते: at the end of a thousand years
• वर्षसहस्रान्ते: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष + सहस्र + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक); समासः
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (अन्त-शब्दः पुं); सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; ‘वर्षसहस्रस्य अन्ते’ (locative: at the end of a thousand years)

• भ्रमतः: of (him) wandering
• भ्रमतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु) → भ्रमन् (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle); षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग; ‘भ्रमतः’ = “of (him) wandering”

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• भूतलम्: the earth’s surface, ground
• भूतलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• विप्रस्य: of the brāhmaṇa
• विप्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• पक्षिनाथस्य: of the lord of birds
• पक्षिनाथस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षिन् + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक); समासः
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; ‘पक्षिणां नाथः’ (lord of birds)

• वरार्थाय: for obtaining a boon
• वरार्थाय: Sampradāna (Purpose/Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक); समासः
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (dative of purpose)

• द्रिजोत्तमाः: the best of the twice-born (brāhmaṇas)
• द्रिजोत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रिज + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक); समासः
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; ‘द्रिजाः (द्विजाः) ये उत्तमाः’ (best of the twice-born)

Speaker

Sūta (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa seeker, aged by time, journeys across varied landscapes for a thousand years, carried by the lord of birds; the earth below shows rivers, forests, and distant shrines—an epic sense of duration and vow.

Characters & Entities

• Vipra (brāhmaṇa)
• Garuḍa (lord of birds)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Perseverance in dharma may span immense time; sincere intent is sustained until the right divine resolution appears.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse frames an extended pilgrimage; the specific kṣetra is indicated shortly afterward.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the emphasis is on the austerity-like endurance of prolonged wandering.