Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

एतस्मिन्नंतरे जाता वाणी गगनगोचरा । हर्षयन्ती महीपालं चमत्कारं सुनिस्वना

Transliteration

etasminnaṃtare jātā vāṇī gaganagocarā | harṣayantī mahīpālaṃ camatkāraṃ sunisvanā

Translation

याच दरम्यान आकाशात संचार करणारी वाणी प्रकट झाली—अतिशय मधुर व अद्भुत नादयुक्त—जी महीपालाला हर्षित करू लागली.

Word by Word

• एतस्मिन्: in this
• एतस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Time-location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अन्तरे: in the interval; meanwhile
• अन्तरे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• जाता: arose; was born
• जाता: Kriya (Occurrence)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वाणी-विशेषण

• वाणी: a voice
• वाणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गगनगोचरा: moving in the sky; celestial
• गगनगोचरा: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गगन + गोचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (of वाणी); सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (गगने गोचरः)

• हर्षयन्ती: gladdening; causing joy
• हर्षयन्ती: Kriya (Concurrent action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृष् (धातु) + णिच्
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; णिजन्त (causative)

• महीपालम्: the king
• महीपालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मही-या: पालः)

• चमत्कारम्: wonder; astonishment
• चमत्कारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चमत्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सुनिस्वना: sweet-sounding; very melodious
• सुनिस्वना: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + निस्वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (of वाणी); कर्मधारय (सु-निस्वना = अत्यन्तं मधुरध्वनिः)

Speaker

Sūta (narration; introduces an aśarīrī vāṇī—bodiless voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant, unseen voice descends from the sky; the king looks upward, face bright with joy; the air seems to shimmer; attendants pause in awe within the temple courtyard.

Characters & Entities

• Vāṇī (heavenly voice)
• Mahīpāla (King)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is strengthened when doubt is met with divine reassurance, deepening trust in the sacred site.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The same Nāgarakhaṇḍa liṅga-site where the king seeks confirmation of Śiva’s abiding presence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse records a divine sign (heavenly voice) validating the site’s sanctity.