Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

एवं संवीक्ष्यमाणस्तु कामिनीभिर्नरैस्तथा । निर्ययौ राजमार्गेण पितृदर्शनलालसः

Transliteration

evaṃ saṃvīkṣyamāṇastu kāminībhirnaraistathā | niryayau rājamārgeṇa pitṛdarśanalālasaḥ

Translation

एवं कामिनीभिर्नरैश्च तथा संवीक्ष्यमाणः सन्, पितृदर्शनलालसः राजमार्गेण निर्ययौ।

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार-बोधक अव्यय (adverb: thus)

• संवीक्ष्यमाणः: being looked at/being observed
• संवीक्ष्यमाणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + वि + ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि/भावे कृदन्त (present passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वय-बोधक अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• कामिनीभिः: by women
• कामिनीभिः: Kartr-karana in passive (Agent in passive/कर्तृ-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāminī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• नरैः: by men
• नरैः: Kartr-karana in passive (Agent in passive/कर्तृ-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (adverb: likewise/also)

• निर्ययौ: went out/departed
• निर्ययौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर् + या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• राजमार्गेण: by the royal road/main street
• राजमार्गेण: Adhikarana/Path (Route)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāja (प्रातिपदिक) + mārga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• पितृदर्शनलालसः: eager to see (his) father
• पितृदर्शनलालसः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + darśana (प्रातिपदिक) + lālasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying the departing man)

Speaker

Narrator (within Nāgara-khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya frame; specific speaker not explicit in snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A handsome youth walks along a broad royal avenue; women and men line the sides watching; the youth’s gaze is forward, intent on meeting his father.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even amid public attention and temptation, one should prioritize righteous familial duty—here, the longing to meet one’s father.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is named in this verse; it functions as narrative movement within the larger Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse describes travel and intent rather than a ritual act.