Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

ततः स पार्थिवो भीतस्तेषां वाक्याद्विशेषतः । जगाम हित्वा तां धेनुं स्वस्थानं हतसेवकः

Transliteration

tataḥ sa pārthivo bhītasteṣāṃ vākyādviśeṣataḥ | jagāma hitvā tāṃ dhenuṃ svasthānaṃ hatasevakaḥ

Translation

ତେବେ ସେ ପାର୍ଥିବ ତାଙ୍କର କଥାରୁ ବିଶେଷ ଭୟଭୀତ ହୋଇ, ସେଇ ଧେନୁକୁ ତ୍ୟାଗ କରି, ସେବକମାନେ ହତ ହୋଇଥିବା ଶୋକ ସହିତ ନିଜ ସ୍ଥାନକୁ ଫେରିଗଲା।

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — ‘ततः’ = ‘तस्मात्/तदनन्तरम्’ (thereupon/then)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — सर्वनाम (he)

• पार्थिवः: the king
• पार्थिवः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārthiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — ‘राजा/नृपः’ (king)

• भीतः: frightened
• भीतः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhīta (कृदन्त; √bhī भि (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भावे; विशेषण (frightened)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्य), षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन — ‘उनका/उनके’ (of them)

• वाक्यात्: from (their) words
• वाक्यात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन — अपादान (from the words/speech)

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Adhikarana (Manner/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — ‘विशेषेण’ (especially)

• जगाम: went
• जगाम: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — परस्मैपद; ‘गच्छति/अगच्छत्’ (went)

• हित्वा: having left/abandoned
• हित्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √hā हा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) — ‘त्यक्त्वा’ (having abandoned)

• ताम्: that
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — सर्वनाम (that/her)

• धेनुम्: the cow
• धेनुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhenu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — कर्म (cow)

• स्वस्थानम्: to his own place
• स्वस्थानम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म-गति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva + sthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — ‘स्वस्य स्थानम्’ (to his own place); गन्तव्य-कर्म (goal as object)

• हतसेवकः: whose servants were slain
• हतसेवकः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hata + sevaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — कर्मधारय: ‘हताः सेवकाः यस्य’ इति भावे (with servants slain); विशेषण (of the king)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator within Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya; exact speaker not explicit in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A frightened king retreats from a sacred grove, leaving behind a wounded cow; fallen attendants lie on the ground; ascetics and forest guardians stand sternly, their words having struck fear.

Characters & Entities

• King (Haihaya ruler, implied)
• Dhenu (Kāmadhenu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma ultimately prevails; when arrogance meets divine protection, even kings are forced to yield and face the cost of wrongdoing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it remains within the chapter’s tīrthamāhātmya narrative context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.