Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

ततः पुण्यतमं क्षेत्रं कन्यादानस्य स क्षमम् । संध्याय ससुतामात्यः सभृत्यः समुपस्थितः

Transliteration

tataḥ puṇyatamaṃ kṣetraṃ kanyādānasya sa kṣamam | saṃdhyāya sasutāmātyaḥ sabhṛtyaḥ samupasthitaḥ

Translation

Kemudian baginda memilih suatu kṣetra yang paling suci, layak bagi upacara Kanyādāna (penyerahan puteri). Pada waktu senja baginda tiba di sana bersama puterinya, para menteri, dan para pengiring.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, तस्मात्/अनन्तरम् इत्यर्थे (ablatival adverb: then/from that)

• पुण्यतमम्: most holy
• पुण्यतमम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तमप्-प्रत्ययान्त (superlative)

• क्षेत्रम्: a sacred place/field
• क्षेत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कन्यादानस्य: of giving the maiden (kanyādāna)
• कन्यादानस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कन्यायाः दानम्)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• क्षमम्: fit, suitable
• क्षमम्: Kriya (Predicative/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative adjective)

• संध्याय: at twilight
• संध्याय: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; कालवाचक-तृतीया (temporal instrumental: at twilight)

• ससुतामात्यः: with (his) sons and ministers
• ससुतामात्यः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + सुत + अमात्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष/सह-समास (सुतैः अमात्यैः सह = with sons and ministers)

• सभृत्यः: with servants
• सभृत्यः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + भृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष/सह-समास (भृत्यैः सह = with servants)

• समुपस्थितः: arrived / was present
• समुपस्थितः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उप-स्था (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (acting as finite: arrived/was present)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣayaḥ / dvijāḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dakṣa, accompanied by Satī, ministers, and attendants, approaches at twilight a supremely sacred kṣetra chosen for the kanyādāna; lamps begin to glow as the sky darkens.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Dakṣa
• Satī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rites like kanyādāna gain greater sanctity when performed in a supremely holy kṣetra with proper timing and reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A “puṇyatama kṣetra” is emphasized; in this adhyāya the wider frame is the Hāṭakeśvara sacred region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Kanyādāna is indicated, along with choosing an auspicious sacred location and arriving at saṃdhyā (twilight).