Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

आनर्त उवाच । विधिना येन कर्तव्यं श्राद्धं सर्वं मुनीश्वर । तमाचक्ष्वाऽद्य कार्त्स्न्येन श्रद्धा मे महती स्थिता

Transliteration

ānarta uvāca | vidhinā yena kartavyaṃ śrāddhaṃ sarvaṃ munīśvara | tamācakṣvā'dya kārtsnyena śraddhā me mahatī sthitā

Translation

ଆନର୍ତ କହିଲେ—ହେ ମୁନୀଶ୍ୱର! ଯେହି ବିଧିରେ ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଶ୍ରାଦ୍ଧ କରିବା ଉଚିତ, ତାହା ଆଜି ମୋତେ ସମଗ୍ରରୂପେ କହନ୍ତୁ; ମୋ ହୃଦୟରେ ମହା ଶ୍ରଦ୍ଧା ଦୃଢ଼ ହୋଇଛି।

Word by Word

• आनर्तः: Ānarta
• आनर्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन (masculine, nominative singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (perfect, 3rd sg)

• विधिना: by the proper rule/method
• विधिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन (masculine, instrumental singular)

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• कर्तव्यम्: to be done, should be performed
• कर्तव्यम्: Vidhana (Obligation predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (neuter nom/acc sg)

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन (neuter nom/acc singular)

• सर्वम्: entire
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter nom/acc sg)

• मुनीश्वर: O lord of sages
• मुनीश्वर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (masculine, vocative singular)

• तम्: that (method)
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन (masculine, accusative singular)

• आचक्ष्व: tell, explain
• आचक्ष्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन (imperative, 2nd sg)

• अद्य: today, now
• अद्य: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• कार्त्स्न्येन: completely, in full detail
• कार्त्स्न्येन: Karana (Manner/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्त्स्न्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन (neuter, instrumental singular)

• श्रद्धा: faith, earnest desire
• श्रद्धा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन (feminine, nominative singular)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; एन्क्लिटिक (genitive singular)

• महती: great
• महती: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण (feminine, nominative singular)

• स्थिता: is established, stands
• स्थिता: Kriya (State/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विधेय (feminine nominative singular)

Speaker

Ānarta

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhartṛyajña (muni)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A kingly figure ‘Ānarta’ sits with folded hands before a serene muni, requesting the full Śrāddha procedure; palm-leaf manuscripts and ritual vessels hint at forthcoming vidhi.

Characters & Entities

• Ānarta
• munīśvara (a sage, unnamed here)
• Śrāddha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True ritual practice begins with śraddhā (faith) and a desire to learn the complete, correct method from a qualified sage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The wider frame remains the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra-māhātmya of the Nāgara Khaṇḍa, though this verse itself is a question initiating instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A request is made for the full, rule-based procedure (vidhi) for performing Śrāddha.