Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । ततो दशरथो राजा मंत्रिभिस्तैर्विसर्जितः । हाटकेश्वरजं क्षेत्रं संप्राप्तो हर्षसंयुतः

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | tato daśaratho rājā maṃtribhistairvisarjitaḥ | hāṭakeśvarajaṃ kṣetraṃ saṃprāpto harṣasaṃyutaḥ

Translation

สูตะกล่าวว่า: ครั้นแล้วพระเจ้าทศรถ เมื่อได้รับการส่งเสด็จอย่างเคารพจากเหล่าเสนาบดี ก็เสด็จถึงเขตศักดิ์สิทธิ์แห่งหาฏเกศวรด้วยความปีติยินดี

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; धातुः—वच्

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kāla-adhikarana (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/हेतुवाचक (then/thereupon)

• दशरथः: Daśaratha
• दशरथः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशरथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Apposition (Same referent/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘दशरथः’ इत्यस्य समानाधिकरणम्

• मन्त्रिभिः: by the ministers
• मन्त्रिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तैः: by those
• तैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘मन्त्रिभिः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• विसर्जितः: dismissed, sent off
• विसर्जितः: Kriya (Predicate participle/कृदन्त-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: वि-उपसर्गपूर्वक; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘दशरथः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• हाटकेश्वरजम्: belonging to/connected with Hāṭakeśvara
• हाटकेश्वरजम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हाटकेश्वर-ज (प्रातिपदिक; हाटकेश्वर + ज)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (हाटकेश्वरात् जातम्/सम्बद्धम्)

• क्षेत्रम्: the sacred place/region
• क्षेत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• संप्राप्तः: arrived
• संप्राप्तः: Kriya (Predicate participle/कृदन्त-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्राप् (धातु)
• Form: सम्-उपसर्गपूर्वक; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past active sense), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘दशरथः’ इत्यस्य विधेयम्

• हर्षसंयुतः: endowed with joy
• हर्षसंयुतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हर्ष-संयुत (प्रातिपदिक; हर्ष + संयुत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (हर्षेण संयुतः)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and other ṛṣis (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: King Daśaratha, having been ceremonially sent off by ministers, approaches the boundary of Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra; banners, attendants, and a visible temple skyline convey a royal yet devotional pilgrimage, with the king’s face showing joy and resolve.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Daśaratha
• Ministers
• Śrī Hāṭakeśvara Kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Approaching a sacred kṣetra with devotion and joy is presented as an auspicious beginning for dharmic undertakings like tapas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śrī Hāṭakeśvara Kṣetra is the explicitly named holy region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pilgrimage/arrival at the kṣetra is indicated; subsequent verses detail worship and bathing.