Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 89

Devanagari script

वयं स्थास्यामहे नित्यमत्रैव सुरसत्तम । तपोऽर्थं भावितात्मानो यावन्मोक्षगतिर्ध्रुवा

Transliteration

vayaṃ sthāsyāmahe nityamatraiva surasattama | tapo'rthaṃ bhāvitātmāno yāvanmokṣagatirdhruvā

Translation

«О лучший из богов, мы будем пребывать здесь всегда — очистив себя ради подвижничества (тапаса) — пока не достигнем верного пути к освобождению (мокше).»

Word by Word

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुषार्थे; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• स्थास्यामहे: we shall stay/stand
• स्थास्यामहे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन (Plural), आत्मनेपद

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Nipata (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात (particle of emphasis)

• सुरसत्तम: O best of the gods
• सुरसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सुराणां सत्तमः); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative/8th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तपः: austerity/penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अर्थम्: for the sake (of)
• अर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); प्रयोजनार्थे (as purpose)

• भावितात्मानः: having disciplined/purified selves
• भावितात्मानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भावित (कृदन्त; भू धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—कर्मधारय (भावितः आत्मा येषाम्); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• यावत्: until/as long as
• यावत्: Sambandha (Correlative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/सम्बन्ध-शब्द)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधिपर्यन्तार्थक (until/as long as)

• मोक्षगतिः: the path to liberation
• मोक्षगतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष + गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मोक्षस्य गतिः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ध्रुवा: certain/firm
• ध्रुवा: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifying मोक्षगतिः)

Speaker

Ṛṣis (Sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Āśrama-tīrtha (name not specified in given verses)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Indra (addressed as surasattama)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene forest āśrama near a sacred water-source; ascetics with matted hair and bark garments take a collective vow to remain, with a subtle divine presence witnessing their resolve.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Mokṣa
• Tapas
• Āśrama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steady residence in a sanctified place with disciplined tapas is portrayed as a direct support for attaining mokṣa.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The same sacred āśrama-tīrtha where the sages choose to remain permanently in Nāgara Khaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A vow of sustained tapas and residence (niyama) at the āśrama until liberation is emphasized.