Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

ततो नराश्च नार्यश्च जग्मुः स्वंस्वं निकेतनम् । उपचारपराः शांताः प्रणिपत्य महेश्वरम्

Transliteration

tato narāśca nāryaśca jagmuḥ svaṃsvaṃ niketanam | upacāraparāḥ śāṃtāḥ praṇipatya maheśvaram

Translation

मग स्त्री-पुरुष आपापल्या घरी गेले—मनाने शांत, विधिपूर्वक पूजेत तत्पर, आणि महेश्वरास नमस्कार करून।

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनन्तरम् (then)

• नराः: men
• नराः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात

• नार्यः: women
• नार्यः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात

• जग्मुः: went
• जग्मुः: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट) परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष बहुवचन

• स्वम्: own
• स्वम्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषण (one’s own)

• स्वम्: (each) own
• स्वम्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति-प्रयोगः (each his/her own)

• निकेतनम्: home/dwelling
• निकेतनम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निकेतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन

• उपचार-पराः: devoted to service
• उपचार-पराः: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपचार (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास: ‘उपचारे पर’ (devoted to service/attendance); पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचन (समूहवाचकः)

• शान्ताः: calm
• शान्ताः: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक; √शम् क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचन; विशेषण (calm/appeased)

• प्रणिपत्य: having bowed
• प्रणिपत्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√नम् (धातु) + ल्यप्
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having bowed down)

• महेश्वरम्: Maheshvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: After worship, a calm procession of men and women departs the shrine, hands folded, faces serene, the liṅga/temple behind them in morning light.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True worship culminates in inner peace and humble reverence, then returns one to daily life with dharmic composure.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse reflects a tīrtha/temple setting within Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya, centered on Maheśvara’s presence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Upacāra (formal acts of worship) and praṇāma (prostration) to Śiva are explicitly indicated.