Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

राजर्षीणां पुराणानां देवदानवरक्षसाम् । द्वीपानां पर्वतानां च स्वयं दृष्ट्वा सहस्रशः

Transliteration

rājarṣīṇāṃ purāṇānāṃ devadānavarakṣasām | dvīpānāṃ parvatānāṃ ca svayaṃ dṛṣṭvā sahasraśaḥ

Translation

ସେ ରାଜର୍ଷିମାନଙ୍କ, ପୁରାଣ-ଇତିହାସମାନଙ୍କ, ଦେବ-ଦାନବ-ରାକ୍ଷସମାନଙ୍କ, ଏବଂ ଦ୍ୱୀପ ଓ ପର୍ବତମାନଙ୍କ ବିଷୟରେ କଥା କହୁଥିଲେ—ଯାହା ସେ ନିଜେ ସହସ୍ରଶଃ ଦେଖିଥିଲେ।

Word by Word

• राजर्षीणाम्: of royal sages
• राजर्षीणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन; समासः—राज्ञः ऋषयः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• पुराणानाम्: of ancient tales/purāṇas
• पुराणानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• देवदानवरक्षसाम्: of gods, demons, and rākṣasas
• देवदानवरक्षसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + दानव + रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्वे सामान्यतः नपुंसक; अत्र षष्ठी-बहुवचन-प्रयोगः), षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—देवाश्च दानवाश्च रक्षसांश्च (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व)

• द्वीपानाम्: of islands/continents
• द्वीपानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पर्वतानाम्: of mountains
• पर्वतानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• स्वयम्: personally
• स्वयम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: स्वकर्तृवाचक-अव्यय (reflexive adverb: oneself)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (Absolutive/Gerund)

• सहस्रशः: by the thousand; countlessly
• सहस्रशः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/आवृत्ति-अव्यय (by thousands; many times)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), continuing narration about Vatsa’s accounts

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Lomaharṣaṇa (as recipient within the recollection); implied wider audience of the Purāṇa frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A storyteller evokes vast worlds: royal sages, gods and demons, and countless islands and mountains—visions unfolding in the listener’s mind as if witnessed.

Characters & Entities

• Rājarṣi
• Deva
• Dānava
• Rākṣasa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic wisdom connects dharma with sacred geography and cosmic history, expanding devotion beyond the household into the whole world-order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is identified; the verse gestures to a wide sacred landscape (dvīpas and mountains) typical of māhātmya literature.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it describes the breadth and authority of the sage’s eyewitness narratives.