Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 82

Devanagari script

एतत्क्षेत्रं मया पूर्वं ब्राह्मणानां मुखाच्छ्रुतम् । वांछितं च सदा प्रष्टुं न च द्रष्टुं प्रपारितम्

Transliteration

etatkṣetraṃ mayā pūrvaṃ brāhmaṇānāṃ mukhācchrutam | vāṃchitaṃ ca sadā praṣṭuṃ na ca draṣṭuṃ prapāritam

Translation

แดนศักดิ์สิทธิ์นี้ ข้าพเจ้าเคยได้ยินมาก่อนจากโอษฐ์ของพราหมณ์ทั้งหลาย ข้าพเจ้าปรารถนาจะไต่ถามอยู่เสมอ แต่กลับไม่เคยมีวาสนาได้เห็นด้วยตนเอง

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Nom./Acc. sg.); विशेषणम्

• क्षेत्रम्: sacred place; field; holy site
• क्षेत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Nom./Acc. sg.)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (सर्वनाम), तृतीया-एकवचनम् (Instr. sg.)

• पूर्वम्: formerly; earlier
• पूर्वम्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम् (क्रियाविशेषणम्/adverb)

• ब्राह्मणानाम्: of the Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-बहुवचनम् (Gen. pl.)

• मुखात्: from (their) mouth
• मुखात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-एकवचनम् (Abl. sg.)

• श्रुतम्: heard
• श्रुतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Nom./Acc. sg.); ‘श्रुत’ = heard

• वाञ्छितम्: desired; wished
• वाञ्छितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाञ्छ् (धातु) → वाञ्छित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Nom./Acc. sg.)

• च: and
• च: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of time)

• प्रष्टुम्: to ask
• प्रष्टुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु) → प्रष्टुम् (तुमुन्)
• Form: तुमुनन्त-अव्ययकृदन्तम् (infinitive); ‘to ask’

• न: not
• न: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्ययम् (negation particle)

• च: and
• च: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• द्रष्टुम्: to see
• द्रष्टुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → द्रष्टुम् (तुमुन्)
• Form: तुमुनन्त-अव्ययकृदन्तम् (infinitive); ‘to see’

• प्रपारितम्: accomplished; attained
• प्रपारितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र+पॄ/पारय् (धातु) → प्रपारित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Nom./Acc. sg.); ‘made to cross/attain’ (here: ‘accomplished/obtained’)

Speaker

King Kalaśa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nandinī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king or noble pilgrim listens to brāhmaṇas recounting the glory of a distant kṣetra; his gaze turns inward with longing, hands folded, as if seeing the unseen holy field through words.

Characters & Entities

• Kalaśa
• brāhmaṇas
• Camatkārapura-kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śravaṇa (hearing) awakens longing for darśana (direct encounter); tīrtha-merit matures when aspiration finally becomes pilgrimage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ‘kṣetra’ referenced is Camatkārapura-kṣetra, already identified as sin-destroying and boon-giving in the preceding verses.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; the verse highlights śravaṇa from brāhmaṇas and the yearning for darśana of the holy place.