Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

ततः स पार्थिवः सर्वान्प्रणम्य द्विजसत्तमान् । अनुज्ञाप्य ययौ तूर्णं स्वगृहाय ससैनिकः

Transliteration

tataḥ sa pārthivaḥ sarvānpraṇamya dvijasattamān | anujñāpya yayau tūrṇaṃ svagṛhāya sasainikaḥ

Translation

ତାପରେ ସେ ରାଜା ସମସ୍ତ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ଦ୍ୱିଜମାନଙ୍କୁ ପ୍ରଣାମ କରି, ତାଙ୍କର ଅନୁମତି ନେଇ, ସେନାସହିତ ଶୀଘ୍ର ନିଜ ରାଜଭବନକୁ ପ୍ରସ୍ଥାନ କଲେ।

Word by Word

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable adverb; अर्थे: 'ततः/तस्मात्' (thereafter/from there)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम = pronoun

• pārthivaḥ: the king
• pārthivaḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārthiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• sarvān: all
• sarvān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• praṇamya: having bowed
• praṇamya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Converb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√nam (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) = having bowed; अव्ययभाव

• dvija-sattamān: the best of the Brahmins
• dvija-sattamān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + sattama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-भावे तत्पुरुष: 'द्विजानां सत्तमाः' = best among the twice-born

• anujñāpya: having obtained permission
• anujñāpya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Converb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√jñā (धातु) (णिच् causative)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) = having taken leave/obtained permission

• yayau: went
• yayau: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• tūrṇam: quickly
• tūrṇam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = adverb

• sva-gṛhāya: to his own house
• sva-gṛhāya: Sampradāna (Goal/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'स्वस्य गृहम्'

• sa-sainikaḥ: with his soldiers
• sa-sainikaḥ: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (उपसर्ग-सह/सह) + sainika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: 'सैनिकैः सह' = accompanied by soldiers

Speaker

Sūta (narrator, continuing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king, with folded hands, bows before a seated assembly of venerable brāhmaṇas; behind him stand soldiers with standards; the sacred precinct fades into the road leading back to the palace.

Characters & Entities

• King (pārthiva)
• Brāhmaṇa(s)
• Army/retinue

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even rulers uphold dharma by honoring brāhmaṇas and departing only after seeking permission—modeling humility and right conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Implicitly the Devī shrine/tīrtha where the dialogue occurred; the verse functions as a narrative wrap-up rather than a site description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; it highlights dhārmic etiquette—salutation to the learned and respectful leave-taking.