Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

मन्त्रराजमिमं जप्त्वा द्वादशाक्षरसंभवम् । एतन्मे विस्तरेण त्वं कथयस्व यथातथम्

Transliteration

mantrarājamimaṃ japtvā dvādaśākṣarasaṃbhavam | etanme vistareṇa tvaṃ kathayasva yathātatham

Translation

เมื่อได้สวดภาวนา “ราชาแห่งมนตร์” นี้ อันบังเกิดจากสิบสองพยางค์แล้ว ขอท่านจงเล่าแก่ข้าพเจ้าโดยพิสดาร ตามความเป็นจริงทุกประการ

Word by Word

• मन्त्रराजम्: the king of mantras
• मन्त्रराजम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + राज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मन्त्राणां राजा), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma (कर्म; apposition to मन्त्रराजम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जप्त्वा: having recited
• जप्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having done)

• द्वादशाक्षरसंभवम्: arising from twelve syllables (twelve-syllabled)
• द्वादशाक्षरसंभवम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (द्वादशाक्षरैः सम्भवः/द्वादशाक्षरात् सम्भवः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (मन्त्रराजम्)

• एतत्: this (matter)
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मे: to me / for me
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान; to me)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Genitive/Dative), एकवचन; एन्क्लिटिक (enclitic)

• विस्तरेण: in detail
• विस्तरेण: Karana (करण; manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रकारे (in detail)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कथयस्व: tell (me)
• कथयस्व: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु) (णिच् causative of कथ्/कथ)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यथातथम्: exactly as it is
• यथातथम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समासवत् अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग (यथा तथा = ‘as it really is’), अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Nārada

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brahmā (addressed as teacher)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close-up of Nārada requesting detailed upadeśa; a luminous twelve-syllable mantra appears as a subtle script halo (not fully spelled out), indicating secrecy and sanctity; Brahmā poised to teach.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Mantra-japa, when correctly understood and practiced, is a royal path of sādhana within Purāṇic dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The surrounding frame is Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya, but this verse specifically highlights mantra doctrine rather than geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Japa of a dvādaśākṣara (twelve-syllable) mantra-rāja is referenced; the exact mantra is not stated in this verse.