Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

चक्रे संवत्सरस्यांते श्रद्धया परया युतः । निराहारश्च मौनेन पदातिर्द्विजसत्तमाः

Transliteration

cakre saṃvatsarasyāṃte śraddhayā parayā yutaḥ | nirāhāraśca maunena padātirdvijasattamāḥ

Translation

اے برہمنوں کے سردار! سال کے اختتام پر اُس نے نہایت عقیدت کے ساتھ یہ عمل کیا—روزہ رکھ کر، خاموشی کا ورت دھار کر، اور پیدل چلتے ہوئے۔

Word by Word

• cakre: performed
• cakre: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/परफेक्ट); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘चकार’ (did/performed)

• saṃvatsarasya: of the year
• saṃvatsarasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃvatsara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन; ‘संवत्सरस्य’ = of the year

• ante: at the end
• ante: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन; ‘अन्ते’ = at the end

• śraddhayā: with faith
• śraddhayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śraddhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन; ‘श्रद्धया’ = with faith

• parayā: with supreme (faith)
• parayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन; ‘श्रद्धया’ इति विशेषणम्; अर्थः ‘उत्तमया’ (supreme)

• yutaḥ: endowed
• yutaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yutá (प्रातिपदिक) / yu (धातु) → yuta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); प्रथमा एकवचन पुंलिङ्ग; कर्तृविशेषणम्; अर्थः ‘युक्तः’ (endowed)

• nirāhāraḥ: fasting
• nirāhāraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir + āhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; नञ्/निर्वचन-तत्पुरुषः (nir-āhāraḥ) = without food, fasting

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• maunena: by silence
• maunena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mauna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन; ‘मौनेन’ = by silence

• padātiḥ: one on foot
• padātiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: padāti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘पदाति’ = foot-soldier / one who goes on foot

• dvija-sattamāḥ: O best of Brahmins
• dvija-sattamāḥ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + sattama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (dvijānāṃ sattamāḥ) = best among Brahmins; (पाठे बहुवचनम्—सम्बोधन/प्रथमा-बहुवचनरूपम्)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; addressed to dvijas)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija-sattamāḥ (addressed brāhmaṇas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the completion of a year-long observance, the king—barefoot—walks in silence, fasting, with folded hands, radiating steadfast faith; attendants keep respectful distance.

Characters & Entities

• Śraddhā
• Nirāhāra
• Mauna
• Padayātrā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha-worship becomes especially powerful when joined to śraddhā, austerity (nirāhāra), restraint (mauna), and humble travel (on foot).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ongoing Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya kṣetra/tīrtha is being praised through the king’s disciplined observance; the site name is not stated here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Austerities accompanying pilgrimage/pradakṣiṇā: fasting (nirāhāra), silence (mauna), and traveling on foot (padayātrā).