Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

एतज्जलाशयं नाथ मम नाम्ना धरातले । प्रसिद्धिं यातु लोकस्य यावच्चन्द्रार्कतारकाः

Transliteration

etajjalāśayaṃ nātha mama nāmnā dharātale | prasiddhiṃ yātu lokasya yāvaccandrārkatārakāḥ

Translation

“ข้าแต่นาถ ขอให้อ่างเก็บน้ำนี้บนแผ่นดินเป็นที่เลื่องลือในหมู่ชนด้วยนามของข้าพระองค์ ตราบเท่าที่จันทร์ อาทิตย์ และดวงดาวยังดำรงอยู่”

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (जलाशयम्)

• जलाशयम्: water-reservoir/pond
• जलाशयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल-आशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—जलस्य आशयः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• नाथ: O lord
• नाथ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नाम्ना: by (my) name
• नाम्ना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• धरातले: on the surface of the earth
• धरातले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरा-तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—धरायाः तलम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• प्रसिद्धिम्: fame/renown
• प्रसिद्धिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यातु: may it attain/go
• यातु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• लोकस्य: of the world/among people
• लोकस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यावत्: as long as
• यावत्: Kāla (Time-limit/काल-पर्यन्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: पर्यन्तवाचक-अव्यय (until/as long as)

• चन्द्र: moon
• चन्द्र: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समाहार-गणनायाम् बहुवचनार्थे समासाङ्ग)

• अर्क: sun
• अर्क: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• तारकाः: stars
• तारकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

Śaṅkha

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śaṅkha-jalāśaya (name implied by request; exact canonical name not provided in verse)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahēśvara (Śiva)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred reservoir is indicated—calm waters, steps/ghat forming—while the devotee requests it be known by his name for all ages; celestial markers (sun, moon, stars) symbolize enduring fame.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkha
• Nātha (Śiva)
• Jalāśaya (sacred pond)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred geography is preserved through remembrance—naming and fame sustain a tīrtha’s role as a dharmic refuge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A jalāśaya (holy tank/pond) connected to the liṅga described in Adhyāya 209 of the Nāgara Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is stated; the verse establishes the tīrtha’s lasting public renown, which supports later snāna and pūjā practices.