Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

ततः कालेन महता वल्मीकः समपद्यत । तस्मिन्क्षेत्रे स पाताले संप्रयातः शनैःशनैः

Transliteration

tataḥ kālena mahatā valmīkaḥ samapadyata | tasminkṣetre sa pātāle saṃprayātaḥ śanaiḥśanaiḥ

Translation

随后，经过漫长岁月，蚁丘（valmīka）遂告形成。在那片圣地之中，它一点一点、缓缓下沉，直入帕塔拉（Pātāla，地下界）。

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Adverbial modifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (काल/क्रमवाचक adverb)

• कालेन: by time, with time
• कालेन: Karana/Hetu (Instrument/Cause/करण-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/हेतु), एकवचन

• महता: great, long (time)
• महता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'कालेन' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• वल्मीकः: an anthill
• वल्मीकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वल्मीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समपद्यत: came to be, formed
• समपद्यत: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√पद् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतन-भूत/past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• क्षेत्रे: in the field/holy area
• क्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सः: he/it
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पाताले: in the netherworld
• पाताले: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• संप्रयातः: had gone down/advanced
• संप्रयातः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-√या (धातु) → संप्रयात (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle) विधेय-रूपेण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'सः' इत्यस्य विधेयम्

• शनैः: slowly
• शनैः: Sambandha (Adverbial modifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शनैः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb)

• शनैः: slowly (little by little)
• शनैः: Sambandha (Adverbial modifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शनैः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (पुनरुक्ति; क्रियाविशेषण)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nāgabila (forming stage)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred field over long ages: an anthill rises, then slowly sinks as if the earth opens; the mound becomes a subtle portal to the underworld.

Characters & Entities

• Pātāla
• Valmīka (anthill)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred places are portrayed as living thresholds—time itself reveals hidden routes and powers within a tīrtha.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The kṣetra connected to the Nāgabila/Hāṭakeśvara milieu in Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly here; it sets the mythic geography that later supports worship and merit.