Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

ततश्चैंद्रपदे तस्मिन्स्वयमेव व्यवस्थितः । शुक्रात्प्राप्याभिषेकं च पुष्पस्नानसमुद्भवम्

Transliteration

tataścaiṃdrapade tasminsvayameva vyavasthitaḥ | śukrātprāpyābhiṣekaṃ ca puṣpasnānasamudbhavam

Translation

แล้วเขาก็ตั้งตนประทับบนบัลลังก์แห่งอินทรานั้นด้วยตนเอง และได้รับพิธีอภิเษกจากศุกระ อันบังเกิดจากการสรงสนานด้วยดอกไม้

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (‘then’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• ऐन्द्रपदे: in Indra’s post
• ऐन्द्रपदे: Adhikarana (Location/State/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐन्द्र-पद (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (‘Indra’s position/post’)

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta (Agent emphasis/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मनः कर्तृत्वबोधक (‘by oneself’)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण

• व्यवस्थितः: stood established/took his place
• व्यवस्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-अव-स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रियापदवत् (‘was established/took position’)

• शुक्रात्: from Śukra
• शुक्रात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन

• प्राप्य: having obtained
• प्राप्य: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु) + ल्यप्
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त; ‘having obtained’

• अभिषेकम्: consecration/anointment
• अभिषेकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिषेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• पुष्पस्नानसमुद्भवम्: arising from a bath of flowers
• पुष्पस्नानसमुद्भवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्प-स्नान-समुद्भव (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अभिषेकम्); समासः—तत्पुरुष (‘arising from a flower-bath’)

Speaker

Narrator (implied Purāṇic narration; explicit speaker not stated in this verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vṛka sits on Indra’s throne; Śukra performs abhiṣeka with a shower of flowers—lotuses and celestial blossoms cascading, attendants holding kalashas, throne gleaming.

Characters & Entities

• Vṛka
• Indra (Aiṃdra-pada)
• Śukra (Śukrācārya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Power can be ritually ‘consecrated’ yet still be dharmically unstable; true sovereignty is measured by alignment with cosmic order.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The surrounding adhyāya sits within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya (Nāgara Khaṇḍa), though this verse focuses on heavenly kingship and consecration.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Abhiṣeka is referenced, specifically one connected with puṣpa-snānā (a flower-bath ceremonial rite).