Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

सप्तर्षीन्स तथोक्तस्तु प्रेषयामास शंकरः । ते तत्र गत्वा समयं वक्तुं हिमवता सह

Transliteration

saptarṣīnsa tathoktastu preṣayāmāsa śaṃkaraḥ | te tatra gatvā samayaṃ vaktuṃ himavatā saha

Translation

இவ்வாறு கூறப்பட்டதும் சங்கரன் சப்தரிஷிகளை அனுப்பினார். அவர்கள் அங்கே சென்று ஹிமவானுடன் உடன்பட்ட நிபந்தனைகளை அறிவிக்கச் சென்றனர்.

Word by Word

• सप्तर्षीन्: the seven sages
• सप्तर्षीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (सप्त + ऋषि)

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Avyaya (Modifier/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• उक्तः: (he) having been addressed/said
• उक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having been told/said’

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Avyaya (Discourse/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• प्रेषयामास: sent/dispatched
• प्रेषयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-इष् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद; periphrastic perfect/परिप्रयोग-लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शंकरः: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शंकरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

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

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having gone’

• समयम्: the agreement/appointed matter
• समयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वक्तुम्: to speak
• वक्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), ‘to speak’

• हिमवता: with Himavān (the mountain-king)
• हिमवता: Sahakaraka (Associate/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakaraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक-निपात (postposition ‘with’)

Speaker

Deductive (Nāgara Khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narration; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śaṅkara dispatches the Seven Ṛṣis—venerable sages with matted hair, deer-skins, staffs—setting out toward Himavān; the scene conveys purposeful movement and sacred diplomacy.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Saptarṣi (Seven Sages)
• Himavān

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even divine events honor orderly dharma—agreements are communicated through respected sages and proper consent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not directly named in this verse; it is embedded in the chapter’s tīrtha-focused narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse reflects dharmic procedure: envoys (sages) formally communicate the alliance and terms before the rite.