Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

अथ नागपुरात्सर्वे भीष्म द्रोणादयश्च ये । कौरवाः प्रस्थितास्तूर्णं पुरीं द्वारवतीं प्रति

Transliteration

atha nāgapurātsarve bhīṣma droṇādayaśca ye | kauravāḥ prasthitāstūrṇaṃ purīṃ dvāravatīṃ prati

Translation

于是，众俱卢族人——毗湿摩（Bhīṣma）、德罗纳（Droṇa）等——从那伽城（Nāgapura）迅速启程，前往堕罗伐底城（Dvāravatī）。

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनुक्रमार्थक (then)

• नागपुरात्: from Nāgapura
• नागपुरात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नागपुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण

• भीष्म: Bhīṣma
• भीष्म: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); समुच्चय-निर्देश (as member of list)

• द्रोणादयः: Droṇa and others
• द्रोणादयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कौरवाः: the Kauravas
• कौरवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• प्रस्थिताः: departed/set out
• प्रस्थिताः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + स्था (धातु) → प्रस्थित (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past participle, active sense), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तूर्णम्: quickly
• तूर्णम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तूर्णम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• पुरीम्: to the city
• पुरीम्: Karma (Goal/object of motion/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• द्वारवतीम्: Dvāravatī
• द्वारवतीम्: Karma (Goal/object of motion/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारवती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); पुरी-विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

• प्रति: towards
• प्रति: Gati (Direction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपसर्गसदृश-गत्यर्थक (preposition: towards)

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvāravatī (Dvārakā) (destination context)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand departure: Kaurava procession leaving Nāgapura—chariots, banners, elephants, and armed retinue; Bhīṣma and Droṇa prominent, dignified and vigilant; the road leads toward a distant coastal city symbol (Dvārakā).

Characters & Entities

• Kauravas
• Bhīṣma
• Droṇa
• Nāgapura
• Dvāravatī (Dvārakā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha-māhātmyas frequently present sacred travel as the doorway to purification and revelation, even for great warriors and elders.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvāravatī is named as the destination; the chapter’s principal praise later centers on Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it narrates departure and travel.