Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

दुर्वासा मुनिशार्दूलो देव ते द्वारि तिष्ठति । दर्शनार्थी क्षुधाविष्टः किं करोमि प्रशाधि माम्

Transliteration

durvāsā muniśārdūlo deva te dvāri tiṣṭhati | darśanārthī kṣudhāviṣṭaḥ kiṃ karomi praśādhi mām

Translation

ഹേ ദേവാ! മുനിശാർദൂലനായ ദുർവാസാ മുനി ദർശനാർത്ഥിയായി, ക്ഷുധയാൽ പീഡിതനായി നിന്റെ ദ്വാരത്തിൽ നില്ക്കുന്നു. ഞാൻ എന്തു ചെയ്യണം? ദയചെയ്ത് എനിക്ക് ആജ്ഞ നൽകുക.

Word by Word

• दुर्वासाः: Durvāsā
• दुर्वासाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मुनिशार्दूलः: tiger among sages
• मुनिशार्दूलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + शार्दूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मुनिः इव/मध्ये शार्दूलः)

• देव: O lord
• देव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• द्वारि: at the door
• द्वारि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तिष्ठति: stands
• तिष्ठति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• दर्शनार्थी: seeking an audience
• दर्शनार्थी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; चतुर्थी-तत्पुरुष (दर्शनाय अर्थी)

• क्षुधाविष्टः: afflicted by hunger
• क्षुधाविष्टः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुधा (प्रातिपदिक) + आविष्ट (कृदन्त; √विश्/आ-विश्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), उपसर्ग-आ; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (क्षुधया/क्षुधायाः आविष्टः)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• करोमि: do (shall I do)
• करोमि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन

• प्रशाधि: instruct/command
• प्रशाधि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शाध् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; उपसर्ग-प्र

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Lakṣmaṇa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A royal gate at a sacred city: a messenger reports to the Lord that Durvāsā stands outside, austere and hungry; attendants look anxious, sensing the sage’s fiery temper.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāma
• Durvāsā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It highlights the urgency of serving a guest—especially a sage—promptly and respectfully, as a core dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is named here; the verse supports the chapter’s broader tīrtha-centered teaching through an exemplary dharma episode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicit hospitality duties (welcoming, feeding, granting darśana) are indicated; no formal vrata is specified.