Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

एतत्पुरं मया कृत्वा ब्राह्मणेभ्यो निवेदितम् । भवद्भिर्मम वाक्येन रक्षणीयं प्रयत्नतः

Transliteration

etatpuraṃ mayā kṛtvā brāhmaṇebhyo niveditam | bhavadbhirmama vākyena rakṣaṇīyaṃ prayatnataḥ

Translation

“此城由我建成，并已奉献给婆罗门。依我之命，你们当竭尽勤谨，全力守护。”

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Accusative singular, neuter; adjectival)

• पुरम्: city/town
• पुरम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Accusative singular, neuter)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Instrumental singular)

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Converb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त्वा
• Form: अव्यय-भावे कृदन्तम्; क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (gerund)

• ब्राह्मणेभ्यः: to the Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणेभ्यः: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Dative plural, masculine)

• निवेदितम्: offered/dedicated
• निवेदितम्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-विद् (धातु) + क्त-प्रत्यय (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle)

• भवद्भिः: by you (all)
• भवद्भिः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Instrumental plural; honorific ‘you’)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Genitive singular)

• वाक्येन: by (my) word/command
• वाक्येन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Instrumental singular, neuter)

• रक्षणीयम्: to be protected
• रक्षणीयम्: Kriyā (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु) + अनीयर् (कृत्य-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम्; कृत्य (gerundive/obligatory)

• प्रयत्नतः: with great effort
• प्रयत्नतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रयत्नतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb: with effort)

Speaker

A king/ruler (bhūpati implied by nearby verses; speaking to sons, grandsons, and retainers)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śaṅkhatīrtha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The founder addresses his heirs with a firm gesture, indicating the town he built and dedicated; the heirs bow, accepting the charge to protect it diligently.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dāna is completed by ongoing protection—endowments to dharma must be safeguarded across generations.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction belongs to the Śaṅkhatīrtha-centered episode within the Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dedication (nivedana) to Brahmins and the continuing duty to protect that endowment.