Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

इदं पुराणमायुष्यं वर्णानां च सुखावहम् । निर्मितं षण्मुखेनेह नियतं सुमहात्मना

Transliteration

idaṃ purāṇamāyuṣyaṃ varṇānāṃ ca sukhāvaham | nirmitaṃ ṣaṇmukheneha niyataṃ sumahātmanā

Translation

ปุราณะนี้ประทานอายุยืนและนำสุขสวัสดิ์แก่ชนทุกวรรณะ ที่นี่พระผู้ทรงหกพักตร์ (ษัณมุขะ) ผู้มีมหาจิต ได้ทรงรจนาขึ้นและสถาปนาไว้

Word by Word

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshya (Head-term/विशेष्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदं (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — ‘this’

• पुराणम्: Purāṇa
• पुराणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — subject/topic ‘Purāṇa’

• आयुष्यम्: life-promoting
• आयुष्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आयुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — ‘life-promoting’ qualifying पुराणम्

• वर्णानाम्: of the social classes
• वर्णानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन — ‘of the varṇas/classes’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक) — and

• सुखावहम्: bringing happiness
• सुखावहम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + आवह (प्रातिपदिक; √वह् धात्वर्थ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — ‘bringing happiness’

• निर्मितम्: created
• निर्मितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + √मा (धातु) + त (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — भूतकृदन्त (क्त), कर्मणि ‘made/created’

• षण्मुखेन: by Ṣaṇmukha (six-faced Skanda)
• षण्मुखेन: Karana (Agent-in-passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षण्मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन — instrumental; agent in passive; ‘by the six-faced one’ (Skanda)

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक) — here/in this world

• नियतम्: ordained
• नियतम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + √यम् (धातु) + त (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — भूतकृदन्त (क्त), ‘regulated/ordained’

• सुमहात्मना: by the very great-souled one
• सुमहात्मना: Karana (Agent-in-passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन — instrumental; agent in passive; ‘by the very great-souled one’

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (implied by immediate context)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ṣaṇmukha (Skanda) as divine author-establisher of the Purāṇa, seated in a sanctified grove/temple precinct, sages listening as the scripture is ‘set’ in the world.

Characters & Entities

• Ṣaṇmukha (Skanda)
• Skanda Purāṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa is praised as a universal dharma-text supporting both worldly welfare (sukha, āyus) and spiritual uplift.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is named; the verse extols the Skanda Purāṇa’s general beneficence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; the implication is regular engagement with the Purāṇa (hearing/recitation) for āyus and sukha.