Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

तत्र प्रभुत्वमातिष्ठ नागराणां हिते स्थितः । राक्षसा बहवः संति कूष्मांडाश्च पिशाचकाः

Transliteration

tatra prabhutvamātiṣṭha nāgarāṇāṃ hite sthitaḥ | rākṣasā bahavaḥ saṃti kūṣmāṃḍāśca piśācakāḥ

Translation

ณ ที่นั้น จงรับอำนาจไว้โดยตั้งอยู่เพื่อประโยชน์ของชาวนคร มีรากษสมากมาย ทั้งกูษมานฑะและปิศาจด้วย

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• प्रभुत्वम्: lordship/authority
• प्रभुत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभुत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आतिष्ठ: assume/hold
• आतिष्ठ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नागराणाम्: of the citizens (nāgaras)
• नागराणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• हिते: in (their) welfare
• हिते: Adhikaraṇa (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अर्थः—हित (welfare)

• स्थितः: being situated/remaining
• स्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृत् (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अर्थः—स्थित (standing/remaining)

• राक्षसाः: rākṣasas
• राक्षसाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• सन्ति: are
• सन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• कूष्माण्डाः: kūṣmāṇḍas (a class of spirits)
• कूष्माण्डाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूष्माण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

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

• पिशाचकाः: piśācas/ghouls
• पिशाचकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिशाचक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nāgara-kṣetra / Camatkārapura (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A prince/appointed guardian stands at the city’s threshold receiving counsel to rule for citizens’ welfare; behind him, shadowy ranks of rākṣasas, kūṣmāṇḍas, and piśācas are visible but held at bay by sacred order.

Characters & Entities

• Nāgara (citizens)
• Rākṣasas
• Kūṣmāṇḍas
• Piśācas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Authority is dharmic only when exercised for loka-hita—protecting communities and sacred spaces from harm.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The passage continues the glorification of the sacred settlement in the Nāgara-khaṇḍa context (linked with Camatkārapura/Nāgara).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is specified; the verse frames a protective duty akin to rājadhrama in a tīrtha-region.