Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

यद्येतत्क्षेत्रमुत्सृज्य गमिष्यामः सुरालयम् । लिंगमेतत्समभ्येत्य पूजयिष्यंति दानवाः

Transliteration

yadyetatkṣetramutsṛjya gamiṣyāmaḥ surālayam | liṃgametatsamabhyetya pūjayiṣyaṃti dānavāḥ

Translation

“ଯଦି ଆମେ ଏହି ପବିତ୍ର କ୍ଷେତ୍ରକୁ ତ୍ୟାଗ କରି ସୁରାଳୟ (ସ୍ୱର୍ଗ) କୁ ଯାଉ, ତେବେ ଦାନବମାନେ ଏଠାକୁ ଆସି ଏହି ଲିଙ୍ଗକୁ ପୂଜିବେ।”

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Conditional marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक (if)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; 'क्षेत्रम्' विशेषण (this)

• क्षेत्रम्: holy place, field
• क्षेत्रम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उत्सृज्य: having left, abandoning
• उत्सृज्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial participle/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-√सृज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); त्यक्त्वा/परित्यज्य (having abandoned)

• गमिष्यामः: we will go
• गमिष्यामः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• सुरालयम्: the abode of the gods
• सुरालयम्: Karman (Goal/गन्तव्य-कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष: सुराणाम् आलयः); पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (destination)

• लिङ्गम्: the liṅga (emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; 'लिङ्गम्' विशेषण (this)

• समभ्येत्य: having approached
• समभ्येत्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial participle/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-अभि-इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); समीपं गत्वा (having approached)

• पूजयिष्यन्ति: will worship
• पूजयिष्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• दानवाः: the demons
• दानवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Devas (collective counsel)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas speak with urgency: if they leave the kṣetra, dānavas will arrive and perform pūjā to the liṅga, turning devotion into a weapon.

Characters & Entities

• Surāḥ (Devas)
• Dānavāḥ
• Śiva-liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even hostile beings may gain strength through worship; therefore guardianship of sacred centers is a dharmic duty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A kṣetra in Nāgarakhaṇḍa renowned for a potent Śiva-liṅga later identified as Amara-liṅga.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pūjā (worship) of the liṅga is referenced, highlighting the efficacy of liṅga-upāsanā.