Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

उपवासपरिश्रांतः सांनिध्यं मम यत्र च । सर्वप्राणैः परित्यक्तस्तस्मिन्नायतने शुभे

Transliteration

upavāsapariśrāṃtaḥ sāṃnidhyaṃ mama yatra ca | sarvaprāṇaiḥ parityaktastasminnāyatane śubhe

Translation

ഉപവാസം മൂലം അത്യന്തം ക്ഷീണിച്ച്, എന്റെ സാന്നിധ്യം വസിക്കുന്ന പുണ്യായതനത്തിൽ അവൻ എത്തി. ആ ശുഭധാമത്തിൽ അവൻ സർവ്വപ്രാണങ്ങളും ഉപേക്ഷിച്ച് പ്രാണത്യാഗം ചെയ്തു.

Word by Word

• उपवासपरिश्रान्तः: fatigued by fasting
• उपवासपरिश्रान्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक) + परिश्रान्त (कृदन्त; √श्रम् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), विशेषण—‘उपवासेन परिश्रान्तः’ (fatigued by fasting)

• सांनिध्यम्: presence, proximity
• सांनिध्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सांनिध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• मम: of me, my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (genitive)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: where)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• सर्वप्राणैः: with all life-breaths
• सर्वप्राणैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; ‘सर्वे प्राणाः’ इति (all vital-breaths/life-forces)

• परित्यक्तः: abandoned, given up
• परित्यक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-√त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), विशेषण—‘परित्यक्तः’ (abandoned)

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (locative)

• आयतने: in the abode/shrine
• आयतने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• शुभे: auspicious
• शुभे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘आयतने’)

Speaker

Śiva (continuing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārvatī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fasting pilgrim, emaciated yet serene, reaches a luminous Śiva-sanctuary; within the auspicious precinct he lies down in final surrender as his prāṇa departs toward Śiva’s presence.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Gaurī
• Suparṇākhyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dying in the sphere of Śiva’s presence is portrayed as supremely auspicious; the tīrtha/temple becomes a threshold to liberation-like ascent.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The auspicious āyatana/mandira of Suparṇākhyā, explicitly described as the locus of Śiva’s sāṃnidhya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Upavāsa (fasting) is referenced as the condition he was in; it functions as an austerity motif connected to the temple’s salvific power.