Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

हरिश्चन्द्रे गते स्वर्गं रोहिताश्वे नृपे स्थिते । तीर्थयात्राप्रसंगेन मार्कण्डो मुनिसत्तमः

Transliteration

hariścandre gate svargaṃ rohitāśve nṛpe sthite | tīrthayātrāprasaṃgena mārkaṇḍo munisattamaḥ

Translation

ครั้นเมื่อหริศจันทราเสด็จสู่สวรรค์แล้ว และโรหิตาศวะดำรงมั่นเป็นพระราชา ในคราวแห่งการจาริกสู่ทีรถะอันศักดิ์สิทธิ์ มุนีผู้เลิศคือมารกัณฑะ (มารกัณฑेयะ) ก็ได้มาถึงที่นั้น

Word by Word

• हरिश्चन्द्रे: in/when Harishchandra
• हरिश्चन्द्रे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरिश्चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; समासः—हरिः+चन्द्रः (कर्मधारय)

• गते: having gone
• गते: Adhikarana (Locative qualifier/अधिकरण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘हरिश्चन्द्रे’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• स्वर्गम्: to heaven
• स्वर्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; गमनस्य कर्म

• रोहिताश्वे: in/when Rohitāśva
• रोहिताश्वे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोहिताश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; समासः—रोहितः+अश्वः (तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-नाम)

• नृपे: in the king
• नृपे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘रोहिताश्वे’ इत्यस्य अप्पोजिशन

• स्थिते: being established/reigning
• स्थिते: Adhikarana (Locative qualifier/अधिकरण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘नृपे/रोहिताश्वे’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तीर्थयात्राप्रसंगेन: by/owing to the occasion of a pilgrimage
• तीर्थयात्राप्रसंगेन: Karana/Hetu (Instrument/Cause/करण-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ-यात्रा-प्रसङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; समासः—तीर्थयात्रायाः प्रसङ्गः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• मार्कण्डः: Mārkaṇḍa
• मार्कण्डः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• मुनिसत्तमः: the best of sages
• मुनिसत्तमः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि-सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—मुनीनां सत्तमः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sarayū-saṅgama (implied)

Type: sangam

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A transitional tableau: Hariścandra depicted ascending to svarga in a celestial vignette; Rohitāśva seated on the throne below; Mārkaṇḍeya traveling with staff and kamaṇḍalu toward a riverine tīrtha.

Characters & Entities

• Hariścandra
• Rohitāśva
• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Tīrthayātrā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred travel (tīrthayātrā) is portrayed as a dharmic catalyst: it brings sages and rulers together for the transmission of right conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Adhyāya’s pilgrimage thread leads into the Sarayū region and Ayodhyā, framing them as potent settings for ritual merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it establishes the historical setting for forthcoming instructions on śrāddha and related rites.