Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

एवं कालेषु गच्छत्सु तत्रैव नगरोत्तमे । कदाचिदागतः सोहं मनोज्ञं शिवमंदिरम्

Transliteration

evaṃ kāleṣu gacchatsu tatraiva nagarottame | kadācidāgataḥ sohaṃ manojñaṃ śivamaṃdiram

Translation

இவ்வாறு காலம் சென்றுகொண்டிருக்க, அந்தச் சிறந்த நகரிலேயே ஒருநாள் நான் மனம்கவரும் சிவன் ஆலயத்திற்குச் சென்றடைந்தேன்.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb)

• कालेषु: in (the course of) times
• कालेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन

• गच्छत्सु: as (time) was passing
• गच्छत्सु: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Desha-adhikarana (Place/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Particle/emphasis)

• नगरोत्तमे: in the excellent city
• नगरोत्तमे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नगर (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; ‘उत्तमं नगरम्’

• कदाचित्: once, at some time
• कदाचित्: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb of time)

• आगतः: having come / came
• आगतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सः: that (one), he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मनोज्ञम्: pleasing, delightful
• मनोज्ञम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• शिवमन्दिरम्: Śiva’s temple
• शिवमन्दिरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्दिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; ‘शिवस्य मन्दिरम्’

Speaker

The King (continuing his account)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pampā-kṣetra Śiva-mandira (unnamed)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: वरानना

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A beautiful Śiva temple appears in the dog’s path—lamp-lit doorway, carved pillars, devotees gathering; the animal pauses at the threshold, drawn by the sanctity.

Characters & Entities

• Pampā-nagara
• Śiva-mandira (Śiva temple)
• king (past-life as dog)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Encountering a Śiva temple is presented as a pivotal karmic turning point, even for one in an animal birth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A Śiva temple in the Pampā region is highlighted as the sacred locus of transformation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Not yet; the next verses move toward festival worship and temple-circumambulation themes.