Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

वेदाभ्यासपराश्चान्ये तारनादेन सर्वशः । नादयंतो दिशां चक्रं तत्र सम्यग्द्विजोत्तमाः

Transliteration

vedābhyāsaparāścānye tāranādena sarvaśaḥ | nādayaṃto diśāṃ cakraṃ tatra samyagdvijottamāḥ

Translation

ਹੋਰ ਉੱਤਮ ਦ੍ਵਿਜ ਵੇਦ-ਅਭਿਆਸ ਵਿੱਚ ਪੂਰੀ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਲੀਨ ਸਨ; ‘ਤਾਰ’ ਨਾਦ ਨਾਲ ਜਪ ਕਰਦੇ ਹੋਏ ਉੱਥੇ ਦਿਸ਼ਾਵਾਂ ਦਾ ਸਾਰਾ ਚੱਕਰ ਗੂੰਜਾ ਦਿੰਦੇ ਸਨ।

Word by Word

• वेदाभ्यासपराः: devoted to Vedic study/practice
• वेदाभ्यासपराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद-अभ्यास-पर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वेदाभ्यासे पराः = devoted to Vedic recitation/practice)

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

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम-प्रयोगः

• तारणादेन: with a carrying/sonorous sound (tāra-nāda)
• तारणादेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारणाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सर्वशः: everywhere, entirely
• सर्वशः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (in every way/entirely)

• नादयन्तः: making resound
• नादयन्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नद् (धातु) → नादयत् (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्तरि-प्रयोग (making resound)

• दिशाम्: of the directions
• दिशाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• चक्रम्: circle, wheel (sphere)
• चक्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक

• सम्यक्: properly, well
• सम्यक्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (properly/well)

• द्विजोत्तमाः: the best of the twice-born (excellent brahmins)
• द्विजोत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज-उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (द्विजानाम् उत्तमाः = best of the twice-born)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; not explicit in this snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Groups of dvijottamas seated in lines, mouths open in synchronized chant; visible ‘waves’ of sound suggested by stylized lines radiating to the four directions; perhaps birds pausing mid-flight, trees bending slightly, indicating the pervasion of mantra-sound.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha is sanctified not only by geography but by sacred sound—Vedic recitation and disciplined practice sustain dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse describes a sacred gathering-place in Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya; the exact tīrtha name is not specified in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It highlights Veda-abhyāsa (Vedic recitation) with resonant chanting (tāra-nāda) as a meritorious practice.