Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

अत्राहं पूर्वतो गत्वा तस्य तिष्ठामि चांतिके । भवानागत्य पश्चाच्च प्रार्थयिष्यति मां ततः

Transliteration

atrāhaṃ pūrvato gatvā tasya tiṣṭhāmi cāṃtike | bhavānāgatya paścācca prārthayiṣyati māṃ tataḥ

Translation

నేను ఇక్కడ ముందుగా వెళ్లి అతని సమీపంలో నిలుచుంటాను. తరువాత నీవు వెనుకగా వచ్చి, అతని సన్నిధిలో, నన్ను ప్రార్థించు।

Word by Word

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

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; उत्तमपुरुष; एकवचन; प्रथमा विभक्ति (Pronoun: 1st person, nominative singular)

• पूर्वतः: beforehand
• पूर्वतः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/क्रमवाचक (adverb: beforehand/earlier)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); ‘having gone’

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुं/नपुंसक; एकवचन; षष्ठी विभक्ति (genitive singular: of him/it)

• तिष्ठामि: I stay
• तिष्ठामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान); उत्तमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद (present indicative: I stand/stay)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction: and)

• अन्तिके: near (at the vicinity)
• अन्तिके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; सप्तमी विभक्ति (locative singular: near)

• भवान्: you (sir)
• भवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा विभक्ति (honorific pronoun: you)

• आगत्य: having come
• आगत्य: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); ‘having come’

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/क्रमवाचक (adverb: afterwards)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (and)

• प्रार्थयिष्यति: will request
• प्रार्थयिष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√अर्थ्/अर्थय् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद (simple future: he will request)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; एकवचन; द्वितीया विभक्ति (accusative singular: me)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्/ततः (ablatival adverb: then/thereafter/from that)

Speaker

Karṇotpalā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kāma speaks quietly, indicating he will go ahead and stand near the father/elder; the heroine is to arrive afterward and make her request in the elder’s presence—an intimate yet decorous prelude to a marriage petition.

Characters & Entities

• Karṇotpalā
• Smara (Kāma)
• Father of Karṇotpalā (unnamed)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma values orderly, respectful approach—actions should be done with propriety, transparency, and regard for elders.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha name appears in the verse; it continues the chapter’s tīrtha-centered narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual; it outlines correct social protocol for seeking marriage consent.