Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

। सूत उवाच । चमत्कारी पुरा देवी तत्रैवास्ति द्विजोत्तमाः । चमत्कारनरेंद्रेण स्थापिता श्रद्धया पुरा

Transliteration

| sūta uvāca | camatkārī purā devī tatraivāsti dvijottamāḥ | camatkāranareṃdreṇa sthāpitā śraddhayā purā

Translation

Sūta nói: Hỡi các bậc nhị sinh tối thượng, ngay tại nơi ấy có Nữ Thần mang danh Camatkārī. Thuở xưa, nàng đã được vua Camatkāra chí thành thiết lập (an vị) tại đó.

Word by Word

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

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• चमत्कारी: wonder-working / miraculous
• चमत्कारी: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चमत्कारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषण (देवी-शब्दस्य)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kālādhi karaṇa (Temporal adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (indeclinable adverb of time: ‘formerly’)

• देवी: the Goddess
• देवी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (there)

• एव: indeed / just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (particle of emphasis: ‘indeed/just’)

• अस्ति: is / exists
• अस्ति: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• द्विजोत्तमाः: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजोत्तमाः: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज-उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थेऽपि प्रयोगः (used as address though nominative form)

• चमत्कारनरेन्द्रेण: by (the king) Cāmatkāra-narendra
• चमत्कारनरेन्द्रेण: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चमत्कार-नरेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental 3rd); एकवचन

• स्थापिता: was established
• स्थापिता: Kriyā (Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; ‘देवी’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• श्रद्धया: with faith / devotion
• श्रद्धया: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kālādhi karaṇa (Temporal adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (formerly)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Camatkārī-devī-sthāna (within Somēśvara tīrtha region)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija-uttamāḥ (Naimiṣāraṇya sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sūta narrates as a king named Camatkāra installs the goddess Camatkārī in a newly sanctified shrine; priests chant, lamps blaze, and the Devī’s icon radiates protective power.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Camatkārī Devī
• King Camatkāra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Faithful स्थापना (installation) and remembrance of a deity at a sacred site becomes a lasting source of protection and merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A local Nāgara-khaṇḍa tīrtha/settlement is indicated as the abode of Camatkārī Devī, though the verse names the goddess more than the place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The act of स्थापना—establishing a deity with śraddhā (faith)—is highlighted as a meritorious sacred act.