Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

अथ ता ब्राह्मणेंद्राणां भार्याः सर्वाः द्विजोत्तमाः । दमयंत्याः समासाद्य प्रासादं स्नेहवत्सलाः

Transliteration

atha tā brāhmaṇeṃdrāṇāṃ bhāryāḥ sarvāḥ dvijottamāḥ | damayaṃtyāḥ samāsādya prāsādaṃ snehavatsalāḥ

Translation

แล้วภรรยาทั้งหลายของพราหมณ์ผู้เป็นใหญ่เหล่านั้น—สตรีผู้ทรงศีลแห่งหมู่ทวิชะ—ด้วยความรักและความเอ็นดู ได้พากันเข้าไปยังปราสาทของทมยันตี

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse marker (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आरम्भ/अनन्तरार्थक (sequencing particle)

• ताः: those (women)
• ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• ब्राह्मण-इन्द्राणाम्: of the foremost Brahmins
• ब्राह्मण-इन्द्राणाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (कर्मधारय-भावः: ब्राह्मणानाम् इन्द्राः = श्रेष्ठब्राह्मणाः)

• भार्याः: wives
• भार्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (भार्याः इति विशेष्यस्य)

• द्विज-उत्तमाः: the best of the twice-born
• द्विज-उत्तमाः: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (उत्तमाः द्विजाः)

• दमयन्त्याः: of Damayantī
• दमयन्त्याः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दमयन्ती (प्रातिपदिक; स्त्री-नाम)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• समासाद्य: having approached/reached
• समासाद्य: Purvakala-kriya (Absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √सद् (धातु) उपसर्ग: सम्+आ (ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया

• प्रासादम्: palace
• प्रासादम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रासाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• स्नेह-वत्सलाः: affectionate, full of love
• स्नेह-वत्सलाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्नेह (प्रातिपदिक) + वत्सल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (ताः/भार्याः इति विशेष्यस्य); तत्पुरुष-समासः (स्नेहे वत्सलाः)

Speaker

Narrator

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A procession of dignified Brahmin ladies, modestly adorned, carrying offerings (flowers, lamps, cloth) approaching Damayantī’s palace; attendants open the gates; mood of affectionate respect and auspicious welcome.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Damayantī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is communal—devotion and righteous conduct are upheld by families and social harmony, not only kings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is narrative within a tīrtha-mahātmya chapter; it does not itself identify a specific tīrtha by name.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it sets the scene for devotional approach and likely worship/hospitality in the following verses.