Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 80

Devanagari script

एवमुक्त्वाथ तं दूतं रत्नैः सागरसंभवैः । प्रभूतैर्भूषयित्वाऽथ विससर्ज नृपं प्रति

Transliteration

evamuktvātha taṃ dūtaṃ ratnaiḥ sāgarasaṃbhavaiḥ | prabhūtairbhūṣayitvā'tha visasarja nṛpaṃ prati

Translation

असे बोलून त्याने समुद्रातून उत्पन्न झालेल्या विपुल रत्नांनी त्या दूताला अलंकृत केले आणि मग त्याला राजाकडे पाठविले.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb of manner)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √वच् (धातु) → उक्त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाव (gerund/absolutive): पूर्वक्रिया

• अथ: then
• अथ: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक/सम्बन्धसूचक (then/now)

• तम्: that (him)
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• दूतम्: messenger
• दूतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; 'तम्' इत्यस्य विशेष्यः

• रत्नैः: with gems
• रत्नैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• सागरसंभवैः: born from the ocean
• सागरसंभवैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सागर (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पञ्चमी/षष्ठीभाव: सागरात्/सागरस्य सम्भवाः); पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; 'रत्नैः' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• प्रभूतैः: abundant; many
• प्रभूतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रभूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; 'रत्नैः' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• भूषयित्वा: having adorned
• भूषयित्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √भूष् (धातु) → भूषयित्वा (णिच् + क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाव (causative gerund): 'having adorned'

• अथ: then
• अथ: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक

• विससर्ज: sent forth; dismissed
• विससर्ज: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• नृपम्: to the king
• नृपम्: Karma (Goal as object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; गन्तव्य/प्रति-सम्बन्धे

• प्रति: towards; to
• प्रति: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय/उपसर्ग-निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक/सम्बन्धसूचक (towards)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual narration following Vibhīṣaṇa’s instruction)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A noble figure adorns a messenger with abundant ocean-born jewels—necklaces, armlets, gems—then gestures toward the road as the envoy departs toward the king.

Characters & Entities

• Dūta (messenger)
• Nṛpa (king)
• Sāgara (ocean)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even worldly negotiation should be conducted with dignity and generosity, reflecting dharma in action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader adhyāya belongs to the Rāmeśvara tīrtha setting within Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A dharmic practice akin to dāna/atithisatkāra is implied: honoring envoys with gifts before dispatch.