Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

महापाराकमेतद्धि चतुर्थं परिकथ्यते । एतेषामेकमपि च नारी वा पुरुषोऽपि वा

Transliteration

mahāpārākametaddhi caturthaṃ parikathyate | eteṣāmekamapi ca nārī vā puruṣo'pi vā

Translation

وهذا يُسمّى «مهاباراكا»، ويُذكر بوصفه الرابع (من النُّسُك). سواء كانت امرأة أو كان رجلًا، إن قام بواحدٍ فقط من هذه (الرياضات)…

Word by Word

• महापाराकम्: Mahāpārāka
• महापाराकम्: Karma/Topic (कर्म/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महापाराक (प्रातिपदिक; महा-पाराक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• चतुर्थम्: fourth
• चतुर्थम्: Predicate qualifier (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक विशेषण

• परिकथ्यते: is spoken of/is described
• परिकथ्यते: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• एतेषाम्: of these
• एतेषाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (सामान्य), षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक/विशेषण

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (inclusory/emphatic)

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

• नारी: a woman
• नारी: Karta (Subject option/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Connector (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (disjunctive particle)

• पुरुषः: a man
• पुरुषः: Karta (Subject option/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• वा: or
• वा: Connector (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahāpārāka (vrata set)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A mixed assembly of devotees—women and men—each adopting a chosen discipline (fasting, lamp-offering, tulasī service), unified by devotion before Viṣṇu.

Characters & Entities

• Mahāpārāka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even a single sincere observance among the prescribed vows can become spiritually transformative, regardless of gender.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya framework; the immediate focus is the Mahāpārāka observance linked to the local sacred setting of the chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The Mahāpārāka is identified as a major observance; the verse emphasizes eligibility (women and men) and that even one such discipline is efficacious.