Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

व्रतेन नियमेनाथ दानेन च हुतेन च । ततः स सुचिरं ध्यात्वा मामुवाच स्मयन्निव

Transliteration

vratena niyamenātha dānena ca hutena ca | tataḥ sa suciraṃ dhyātvā māmuvāca smayanniva

Translation

«بالنذور المقدّسة، وبالانضباط وضبط النفس، وبالصدقة، وبالقرابين المقدَّمة في النار (هوما)…» ثم بعد أن تأمّل طويلاً، خاطبني كأن على شفتيه ابتسامة لطيفة.

Word by Word

• व्रतेन: by a vow
• व्रतेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• नियमेन: by observance/restraint
• नियमेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक (then)

• दानेन: by giving; by charity
• दानेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• हुतेन: by (fire-)offering
• हुतेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हु (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘by oblation offered’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरम् (thereupon)

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

• सुचिरम्: for a long time
• सुचिरम्: Kriya-visheshana (Temporal adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सुचिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण; कालवाचक (for a long time)

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु) + क्त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त; पूर्वकालिक (having meditated/thought)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्मयन्: smiling
• स्मयन्: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मि (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘smiling’

• इव: as if
• इव: Sambandha (Comparison marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमावाचक (as if)

Speaker

Narrator (the woman) describing the sage’s response

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sage, after long contemplation, begins to prescribe the means—vows, restraints, charity, and fire-offerings—speaking with a gentle, reassuring smile.

Characters & Entities

• vrata
• niyama
• dāna
• homa (huta)
• muni

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma treats life’s aims as supported by disciplined practice—vows, restraint, charity, and sacrificial offering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is within a Tīrthamāhātmya chapter; the site is implied by the chapter setting rather than stated here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vrata (observance), niyama (discipline), dāna (charity), and huta/homa (fire-offerings) are explicitly listed.