Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

सुदर्शनैस्तथा धर्मः सेव्यते ह्यविरोधिभिः । सच्छूद्रैर्दानपुण्यैश्च द्विजशुश्रूषणादिभिः

Transliteration

sudarśanaistathā dharmaḥ sevyate hyavirodhibhiḥ | sacchūdrairdānapuṇyaiśca dvijaśuśrūṣaṇādibhiḥ

Translation

وهكذا تُمارَس الدَّرْمَةُ على يد ذوي البصيرة الصافية غير المُخاصِمين. وكذلك يمارسها الشودرَةُ الصالحون بما يقدّمونه من صدقاتٍ ذات أجر، وبخدمة «ذوي الولادتين» (دْوِجَا) وما شابه ذلك من الواجبات.

Word by Word

• सुदर्शनैः: by good-looking/virtuous (persons)
• सुदर्शनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु-दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक; सु + दर्शन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण) विभक्ति, बहुवचन; साधन/करणार्थे (instrumental)

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

• धर्मः: dharma, righteousness
• धर्मः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सेव्यते: is served/practised
• सेव्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

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

• अविरोधिभिः: by non-opposing (people), by the non-hostile
• अविरोधिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-विरोधिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying the agents)

• सत्: good, virtuous
• सत्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक; सत्-शब्द)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (छूद्रैः इत्यस्य)

• शूद्रैः: by Śūdras
• शूद्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• दानपुण्यैः: by gifts and meritorious acts
• दानपुण्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान-पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक; दान + पुण्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective)

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

• द्विजशुश्रूषणादिभिः: by service to twice-born (Brahmins) and the like
• द्विजशुश्रूषणादिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज-शुश्रूषण-आदि (प्रातिपदिक; द्विज + शुश्रूषण + आदि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (द्विजानां शुश्रूषणम्) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; ‘आदि’ समाहारार्थक

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A peaceful tīrtha community: pilgrims and locals cooperate—some offer alms, others serve learned priests/teachers; a mediator calms a potential dispute, embodying avirodha.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld through clear understanding, non-hostility, and practical virtues like charity and respectful service.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions as general dharma-instruction within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Meritorious dāna and dvija-śuśrūṣā (service to the twice-born) as recognized forms of dharma-practice.