Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

ततस्तस्याग्रतश्चक्रुः कथास्ते बहुधा नृप । राजर्षीणामतीतानां ब्रह्मर्षीणां विशेषतः

Transliteration

tatastasyāgrataścakruḥ kathāste bahudhā nṛpa | rājarṣīṇāmatītānāṃ brahmarṣīṇāṃ viśeṣataḥ

Translation

मग, हे नृपा! त्याच्या समोर त्यांनी अनेक प्रकारच्या पवित्र कथा केल्या—प्राचीन राजर्षींच्या आणि विशेषतः ब्रह्मर्षींच्या।

Word by Word

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable adverb; अर्थे: अनन्तरम् (thereafter)

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• agrataḥ: in front
• agrataḥ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: agratas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक) = indeclinable adverb; अर्थे: पुरतः (in front)

• cakruḥ: they did/made
• cakruḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• kathāḥ: stories, narrations
• kathāḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kathā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), बहुवचन

• te: to him
• te: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/dative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• bahudhā: in many ways
• bahudhā: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bahudhā (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable adverb; अर्थे: अनेकप्रकारेण (in many ways)

• nṛpa: O king
• nṛpa: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन

• rājarṣīṇām: of royal sages
• rājarṣīṇām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājarṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन; समास: राज + ऋषि (तत्पुरुष)

• atītānām: of the bygone/past
• atītānām: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: atīta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √i (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past/passive participle) विशेषण

• brahmarṣīṇām: of brahma-sages
• brahmarṣīṇām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahmarṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन; समास: ब्रह्म + ऋषि (तत्पुरुष)

• viśeṣataḥ: especially
• viśeṣataḥ: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable adverb; अर्थे: विशेषेण (especially)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator, implied)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: O king (nṛpa) addressed in the narrative frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sages seated in discourse posture, one elder speaking with raised hand; the king sits attentively before the liṅga; the sanctum lamps illuminate faces as stories of ancient rājarṣis and brahmarṣis unfold.

Characters & Entities

• Rājarṣis
• Brahmarṣis

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In a tīrtha, devotion is strengthened through satsanga—listening to dharma-kathā about exemplary sages and righteous kings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha context is the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s liṅga-centered shrine; the site-name is not specified in this single verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; the implied observance is satsanga/dharma-kathā in the sacred presence.