Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 81

Devanagari script

ततः प्रोवाच शाकल्यो याज्ञवल्क्यं द्विजोत्तमाः । भूयोऽपि शृण्वतस्तस्य आनर्तस्य महीपतेः

Transliteration

tataḥ provāca śākalyo yājñavalkyaṃ dvijottamāḥ | bhūyo'pi śṛṇvatastasya ānartasya mahīpateḥ

Translation

అనంతరం ద్విజోత్తముడైన శాకల్యుడు, ఆనర్తదేశాధిపతి మరల వినుచుండగా, యాజ్ఞవల్క్యునితో పలికెను।

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• प्रोवाच: said/spoke
• प्रोवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-उच्/वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शाकल्यः: Śākalya
• शाकल्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाकल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• याज्ञवल्क्यम्: to Yājñavalkya
• याज्ञवल्क्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याज्ञवल्क्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• द्विजोत्तमाः: excellent Brahmins / the excellent Brahmin(s)
• द्विजोत्तमाः: Karta (Appositive/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; (पाठे सम्भाव्य-भेदः: द्विजोत्तमः)

• भूयः: again
• भूयः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• शृण्वतः: of (him) listening
• शृण्वतः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → शृण्वत् (शतृ-प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग; 'of him who is listening'

• तस्य: of that (king)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आनर्तस्य: of the Ānarta (king/land)
• आनर्तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• महीपतेः: of the king
• महीपतेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator; reporting Śākalya’s speech)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ānarta-deśa tīrtha-kathā (contextual frame)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and other ṛṣis at Naimiṣāraṇya (standard frame, implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A learned brāhmaṇa Śākalya addresses sage Yājñavalkya in a courtly setting while the king of Ānarta listens attentively; palm-leaf manuscripts and ritual implements suggest a dharma discourse.

Characters & Entities

• Śākalya
• Yājñavalkya
• Ānarta (region)
• Mahīpati (king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma emphasizes counsel: the wise guide action through instruction, and rulers benefit by attentive listening to spiritual direction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader chapter is a tīrtha-māhātmya setting; this verse serves as narrative linkage, connecting sacred efficacy to authoritative instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse sets up the instruction for a śānti rite by introducing Śākalya’s directive to Yājñavalkya.