Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

राजोवाच । कस्मिन्देशे महातीर्थं तादृशं वद मे द्रुतम्

Transliteration

rājovāca | kasmindeśe mahātīrthaṃ tādṛśaṃ vada me drutam

Translation

ରାଜା କହିଲେ—ଏପରି ମହାତୀର୍ଥ କେଉଁ ଦେଶରେ ଅଛି? ମୋତେ ଶୀଘ୍ର କୁହ।

Word by Word

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine nominative singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् (3rd person singular, perfect)

• कस्मिन्: in which
• कस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम (interrogative; locative singular)

• देशे: country/place
• देशे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (masculine locative singular)

• महातीर्थम्: great sacred ford/pilgrimage place
• महातीर्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महच्च तत् तीर्थम्) (neuter accusative singular)

• तादृशम्: such (of that kind)
• तादृशम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तादृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (neuter accusative singular; adjective)

• वद: tell
• वद: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् (2nd person singular, imperative)

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (dative singular pronoun)

• द्रुतम्: quickly
• द्रुतम्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्रुत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्तप्राय)
• Form: अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः (adverbial accusative; quickly)

Speaker

Rājā (the King)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kārpaṭika

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king, intent and leaning forward, asks urgently; the ascetic narrator stands composed, ready to disclose the sacred geography.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma begins with śraddhā and inquiry—seeking the right place and right practice from a trustworthy source.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The verse introduces the query that leads to the identification of the Nāgara-kṣetra tīrtha (Viśvāmitra-jalāvaha).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed here; it is a request for the tīrtha’s location to enable proper pilgrimage and observance.