Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

विशेषेण द्विजश्रेष्ठ संप्राप्ते पंचमीदिने । तत्राऽपि श्रावणे मासि पूज्यंते यत्र पन्नगाः

Transliteration

viśeṣeṇa dvijaśreṣṭha saṃprāpte paṃcamīdine | tatrā'pi śrāvaṇe māsi pūjyaṃte yatra pannagāḥ

Translation

“Especialmente, ó melhor entre os duas-vezes-nascidos, quando chega o quinto dia lunar; e, em particular, no mês de Śrāvaṇa, naquele lugar as serpentes são veneradas.”

Word by Word

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषणवत् (instrumental used adverbially)

• द्विजश्रेष्ठ: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन-एकवचनम् (Vocative singular); ‘द्विजानां श्रेष्ठः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• संप्राप्ते: when (it) has arrived
• संप्राप्ते: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + प्र + आप् (धातु) → संप्राप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-एकवचनम् (Locative singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः; ‘दिने’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• पञ्चमीदिने: on the fifth day
• पञ्चमीदिने: Adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चमी + दिन (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी-एकवचनम् (Locative singular); ‘पञ्चम्याः दिनम्’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; देशवाचक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (locative adverb)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निपातः (particle)

• श्रावणे: in Śrāvaṇa (month)
• श्रावणे: Adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी-एकवचनम् (Locative singular)

• मासि: in the month
• मासि: Adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी-एकवचनम् (Locative singular)

• पूज्यन्ते: are worshipped
• पूज्यन्ते: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present); आत्मनेपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः; बहुवचनम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (Passive)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; सम्बन्धबोधक-देशवाचकः (relative locative adverb)

• पन्नगाः: serpents
• पन्नगाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पन्नग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-बहुवचनम् (Nominative plural)

Speaker

Śrī Bhagavān

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija-śreṣṭha (brāhmaṇa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devotees at a nāga-shrine or anthill (valmīka) offering milk and flowers on Pañcamī in Śrāvaṇa; nāga icons/stone slabs with serpent carvings are garlanded; monsoon greenery surrounds the tīrtha.

Characters & Entities

• Śrāvaṇa (month)
• pañcamī (tithi)
• pannaga (nāga/serpent)
• dvija (brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred time (tithi and month) amplifies devotion; worship aligned with dharmic calendars is praised in tīrtha traditions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A Nāga-associated pilgrimage spot within Nāgara Khaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya, where serpent worship is especially observed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Nāga-pūjā (worship of serpents) is recommended particularly on Pañcamī, with special emphasis in the month of Śrāvaṇa.