Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

ततः शोकपरा चक्रे दितिर्व्रतमनुत्तमम् । पुत्रार्थं नियमोपेता क्षेत्रेऽत्रैव समाहिता

Transliteration

tataḥ śokaparā cakre ditirvratamanuttamam | putrārthaṃ niyamopetā kṣetre'traiva samāhitā

Translation

پھر غم سے مغلوب دِتی نے ایک بے مثال ورت (نذر) اختیار کیا۔ بیٹے کی آرزو میں وہ سخت ریاضت کے ساتھ اسی مقدس کشتَر میں یکسو ہو کر ٹھہری رہی۔

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adverbial (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), तस्मात्-अर्थे (thereafter/from that)

• शोकपरा: overcome with grief
• शोकपरा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोक (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (शोके परा = grief-stricken)

• चक्रे: performed, undertook
• चक्रे: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• दितिः: Diti
• दितिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• व्रतम्: vow, observance
• व्रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed, excellent
• अनुत्तमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifier of व्रतम्)

• पुत्र-अर्थम्: for (obtaining) a son
• पुत्र-अर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (पुत्रस्य अर्थः = for a son)

• नियम-उपेता: endowed with disciplines/observances
• नियम-उपेता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक) + उपेत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, उप-इ (धातु)+क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (नियमैः उपेता = endowed with restraints)

• क्षेत्रे: in the sacred place/field
• क्षेत्रे: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Adverbial (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• समाहिता: composed, concentrated
• समाहिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-धा (धातु) + क्त
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Diti, veiled and austere, seated in meditation on kusa grass within a sacred grove near a tīrtha; her face shows grief turned into resolve; minimal possessions, matted hair, and a still, charged atmosphere.

Characters & Entities

• Diti
• Kṣetra (holy field/site)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Grief can be transformed into disciplined devotion; vows performed with restraint (niyama) in a sacred place are portrayed as spiritually potent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse explicitly emphasizes “this very kṣetra” (kṣetre ’traiva), indicating the chapter’s locale is being praised, though the proper name is not contained in this single line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A vrata with niyamas (strict observances) and sustained mental concentration (samāhita) undertaken for putrārtha (seeking offspring).