Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

सत्संगो विष्णुपूजा च सत्यवादो दया हृदि । आर्जवं मधुरा वाणी सच्चरित्रे सदा रतिः

Transliteration

satsaṃgo viṣṇupūjā ca satyavādo dayā hṛdi | ārjavaṃ madhurā vāṇī saccaritre sadā ratiḥ

Translation

صحبة الصالحين، وعبادة فيشنو، والصدق، والرحمة في القلب؛ والاستقامة، وعذوبة الكلام، والسرور الدائم بالسلوك الفاضل—تلك هي سماتُ الانضباط المقدّس الممدوح في هذا التعليم المُمجِّد للتيرثا.

Word by Word

• सत्सङ्गः: company of the good
• सत्सङ्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् + सङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विष्णुपूजा: worship of Vishnu
• विष्णुपूजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• सत्यवादः: truth-speaking
• सत्यवादः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य + वाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दया: compassion
• दया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हृदि: in the heart
• हृदि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आर्जवम्: straightforwardness
• आर्जवम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्जव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मधुरा: sweet
• मधुरा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of वाणी)

• वाणी: speech
• वाणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सत्: good, virtuous
• सत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• चरित्रे: in conduct/character
• चरित्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• रतिः: delight, attachment
• रतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Skanda Purāṇa tīrthamāhātmya discourse style; exact speaker not stated in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tīrtha assembly: pilgrims gathered in sat-saṅga, singing Viṣṇu-nāma; a small shrine with Viṣṇu; one devotee offering flowers while others exchange gentle, truthful counsel; a compassionate act (feeding, helping) shown as the heart of the discipline.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True religious life is recognized by inner compassion and outer integrity—satsanga, Viṣṇu-worship, truth, sweetness of speech, and steady commitment to good conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse occurs within a Tīrthamāhātmya setting of the Nāgarakhaṇḍa, but this particular line emphasizes ethical qualifications rather than naming a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Viṣṇu-pūjā (worship of Viṣṇu) is explicitly stated, framed alongside moral disciplines that support vrata practice.