Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

सेवितं सर्वफलदं तथा योगी विमुक्तिदः । यथा गोमयमात्रेण वह्निर्दीप्यति सर्वदा

Transliteration

sevitaṃ sarvaphaladaṃ tathā yogī vimuktidaḥ | yathā gomayamātreṇa vahnirdīpyati sarvadā

Translation

إذا خُدِمَ بتعبّدٍ منحَ كلَّ الثمرات؛ وكذلك اليوغي يهبُ الموكشا (التحرّر). كما أنّ النار تظلّ متّقدةً أبداً إذا أُطعِمَت ولو بقليلٍ من روثِ البقر وقوداً.

Word by Word

• सेवितम्: served; practiced
• सेवितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sevita (कृदन्त; √sev)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter Nom./Acc. singular) विशेषणम्; कृदन्तः—क्त (past passive participle) √सेव्

• सर्व-फल-दम्: giving all results
• सर्व-फल-दम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक) + da (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter Nom./Acc. singular) विशेषणम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ('of all fruits' + 'giving')

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारसूचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'thus/so')

• योगी: a yogi
• योगी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative singular)

• विमुक्ति-दः: giver of liberation
• विमुक्ति-दः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vimukti (प्रातिपदिक) + da (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative singular) विशेषणम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ('liberation' + 'giver')

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानसूचक (indeclinable: 'just as')

• गोमय-मात्रेण: with just a little cow-dung
• गोमय-मात्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gomaya (प्रातिपदिक) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (करण), एकवचन (Neuter, Instrumental singular); तत्पुरुषः ('cow-dung' + 'mere amount')

• वह्निः: fire
• वह्निः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vahni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative singular)

• दीप्यति: blazes; shines
• दीप्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dīp (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (Present, Atmanepada, 3rd person singular)

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time: 'always')

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred spot being tended—swept steps, lamps lit; a yogin sits nearby radiating peace; a small piece of cow-dung fuel is placed into a fire that flares brightly, symbolizing how small seva sustains great spiritual power.

Characters & Entities

• Yogī
• Vimukti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Service to a realized yogin is a direct path to spiritual fruits and liberation, even through small acts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific location is named; the verse treats the holy person (yogin) as a living tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sevā (attending/serving) the yogin; the metaphor implies that even modest offerings sustain great spiritual benefit.