Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

सेवितं बहुभिर्हंसैर्बकैश्चक्रैः समंततः । अगाधसलिलं पुण्यं सेवितं जलजंतुभिः

Transliteration

sevitaṃ bahubhirhaṃsairbakaiścakraiḥ samaṃtataḥ | agādhasalilaṃ puṇyaṃ sevitaṃ jalajaṃtubhiḥ

Translation

ସେ ଚାରିଦିଗରେ ଅନେକ ହଂସ, ବକ ଓ ଚକ୍ରବାକ ପକ୍ଷୀମାନଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା ସେବିତ ଥିଲା; ତାହାର ଜଳ ଅଗାଧ, ସେ ପୁଣ୍ୟମୟ ଏବଂ ଜଳଜନ୍ତୁମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟ ତାହାରେ ବସୁଥିଲେ।

Word by Word

• सेवितम्: frequented
• सेवितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘frequented/served’

• बहुभिः: by many
• बहुभिः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying हंसैः etc.)

• हंसैः: by swans
• हंसैः: Karana (Agent in passive/instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• बकैः: by cranes/herons
• बकैः: Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• चक्रैः: by cakra-birds (cakravākas)
• चक्रैः: Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन; here ‘cakravāka’ birds by context

• समंततः: on all sides
• समंततः: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘on all sides’

• अगाधसलिलम्: with deep water
• अगाधसलिलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अगाध + सलिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘deep water’/‘water that is unfathomable’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• पुण्यम्: holy
• पुण्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• सेवितम्: frequented
• सेवितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; repeated predicate

• जलजंतुभिः: by aquatic creatures
• जलजंतुभिः: Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल + जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘water-creatures’); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sūta (descriptive narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Padminī (implied)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tranquil sacred lake with deep, dark-blue water; swans glide in groups, herons stand at the edges, cakravāka pairs float; beneath the surface, aquatic beings move—an ecosystem of sanctity.

Characters & Entities

• haṃsa (swan)
• baka (heron)
• cakravāka (cakra bird)
• jalajaṃtu (aquatic beings)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Holiness is depicted as both spiritual and ecological harmony—pure waters naturally attract auspicious life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The adhyāya glorifies a deep, holy pond/tīrtha; the specific toponym is not contained in this verse alone.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Not mentioned in this verse.