Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

विचारेण शमो ग्राह्यः सन्तोषेण तथा हि सः । मात्सर्यमृजुभावेन नियच्छेत्स मुनीश्वरः

Transliteration

vicāreṇa śamo grāhyaḥ santoṣeṇa tathā hi saḥ | mātsaryamṛjubhāvena niyacchetsa munīśvaraḥ

Translation

إن śama، أي ضبط النفس وسكون القلب، يُنال بالتأمل المميِّز، ويثبت بالقناعة. وعلى سيد الحكماء أن يكبح الحسد (mātsarya) بالاستقامة ولين الفؤاد.

Word by Word

• विचारेण: by reflection/discrimination
• विचारेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• शमः: tranquility, calmness
• शमः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• ग्राह्यः: should be accepted
• ग्राह्यः: Vidhi (Injunctive predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) + य (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (यत्/य), भावे/कर्मणि; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘to be accepted/should be taken’

• सन्तोषेण: by contentment
• सन्तोषेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्तोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• तथा: thus, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• सः: he/that (one)
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun nominative singular

• मात्सर्य: envy
• मात्सर्य: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मात्सर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• ऋजुभावेन: by straightforwardness
• ऋजुभावेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋजु (प्रातिपदिक) + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (ऋजु-भावः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• नियच्छेत्: should restrain
• नियच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + यम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; ‘should restrain’

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

• मुनीश्वरः: lord of sages
• मुनीश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मुनीनां ईश्वरः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

Speaker

Brahmā (inferred from chapter colophon context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage instructing disciples at a tīrtha rest-house: four symbolic lotuses labeled Vichāra, Santoṣa, Ārjava, Mardava forming a garland around the heart; a dark figure ‘Mātsarya’ is gently bound and calmed, not violently attacked.

Characters & Entities

• Munīśvara (ideal sage)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Discernment and contentment are the practical supports of self-restraint, while upright gentleness curbs envy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is embedded in the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya section of Nāgara-khaṇḍa, linking inner discipline to tīrtha-oriented dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A sādhana-style instruction: cultivate vicāra (reflection), santoṣa (contentment), and ṛjubhāva (uprightness) to stabilize śama and restrain mātsarya.