Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

अस्मिन्क्षेत्रे सुतीर्थानि संति पार्थिवसत्तम । तथाऽन्यानि प्रसिद्धानि देवतायतनानि च

Transliteration

asminkṣetre sutīrthāni saṃti pārthivasattama | tathā'nyāni prasiddhāni devatāyatanāni ca

Translation

“ข้าแต่พระราชาผู้ประเสริฐ ในเขตศักดิ์สิทธิ์นี้มีทีรถะอันเลิศ และยังมีเทวสถานอันเลื่องชื่ออื่น ๆ คือวิมานแห่งเทพทั้งหลายด้วย”

Word by Word

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• क्षेत्रे: in the sacred field/region
• क्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• सुतीर्थानि: excellent holy fords/pilgrimage spots
• सुतीर्थानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (सुतीर्थानि = उत्तमानि तीर्थानि)

• सन्ति: are, exist
• सन्ति: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष; बहुवचन; धातुः—अस् (सत्तायाम्)

• पार्थिवसत्तम: O best of kings
• पार्थिवसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-विभक्ति; एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (पार्थिवेषु सत्तमः)

• तथा: and also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ (thus/also)

• अन्यानि: other
• अन्यानि: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन

• प्रसिद्धानि: well-known
• प्रसिद्धानि: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक/क्तान्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन

• देवतायतनानि: temples (abodes) of deities
• देवतायतनानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक) + आयतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवतायाः आयतनानि = abodes/temples of deities)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

Speaker

Ṛṣis (continuation of their address)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A map-like sacred panorama: riverside ghāṭas, small ponds, temple spires, and deity shrines scattered through the kṣetra; sages indicate the many sites while addressing the king.

Characters & Entities

• kṣetra
• tīrtha
• devatāyatanāni
• pārthiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A kṣetra is not only a single spot but a network of tīrthas and temples; honoring the whole sacred landscape completes pilgrimage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse praises the kṣetra broadly as containing multiple “su-tīrthas” and famous deity-temples; specifics are given elsewhere in the chapter/section.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No single rite is prescribed; the implication is visitation and reverence to tīrthas and devatāyatanas.