Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा ततः कुशमहीपतिः । रुद्रमाराधयामास तत्क्षेत्रं प्राप्य सद्द्विजाः

Transliteration

teṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā tataḥ kuśamahīpatiḥ | rudramārādhayāmāsa tatkṣetraṃ prāpya saddvijāḥ

Translation

ครั้นพระเจ้ากุศะทรงสดับถ้อยคำนั้นแล้ว ก็เสด็จไปยังเขตศักดิ์สิทธิ์นั้น และทรงเริ่มบูชาพระรุทระ—โอ้ท่านพราหมณ์ผู้ประเสริฐทั้งหลาย

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• तत्-वचनम्: that speech/statement
• तत्-वचनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (‘तत् एव वचनम्’)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya (Gerund/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रुत्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्तम् (gerund); पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रमवाचक (then)

• कुश-महीपतिः: King Kuśa
• कुश-महीपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुश (प्रातिपदिक) + महीपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘कुशस्य महीपतिः’)

• रुद्रम्: Rudra (Śiva)
• रुद्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• आराधयामास: worshipped / propitiated
• आराधयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + राध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (परोक्स-भूत/Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्; ‘आ’ उपसर्गः

• तत्-क्षेत्रम्: that sacred place/field
• तत्-क्षेत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (‘तत् एव क्षेत्रम्’)

• प्राप्य: having reached
• प्राप्य: Kriya (Gerund/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु) → प्राप्य (ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्तम् (absolutive); पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया

• सत्-द्विजाः: the good brāhmaṇas
• सत्-द्विजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (‘सन्तः द्विजाः’ = good brāhmaṇas)

Speaker

Narrator addressing brāhmaṇas (saddvijāḥ); exact named speaker not specified in snippet

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas/sages (frame implied; verse addresses ‘saddvijāḥ’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: King Kuśa reaches a sacred field marked by a Śiva-liṅga or shrine; brāhmaṇas stand nearby. The king begins worship—offering water, bilva leaves, incense—while the atmosphere calms.

Characters & Entities

• King Kuśa
• Rudra (Śiva)
• Kṣetra (holy field)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When confronted with forces beyond one’s control, the dharmic response is to seek refuge in Rudra through sincere worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A revered kṣetra within Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya where Rudra is worshipped; the verse does not provide the site’s proper name.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Rudra-ārādhana (propitiatory worship of Śiva) is described as the king’s chosen response.