Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

वेदांतगा द्विजाः सर्वे नित्यं स्वाध्यायशीलिनः । वेदव्याख्यानसंहृष्टा ब्रह्मज्ञानविचक्षणाः

Transliteration

vedāṃtagā dvijāḥ sarve nityaṃ svādhyāyaśīlinaḥ | vedavyākhyānasaṃhṛṣṭā brahmajñānavicakṣaṇāḥ

Translation

جميعُ ذوي الولادتين هناك راسخون في الفيدانتا، مواظبون أبدًا على السوادهيایا، أي التلاوة والدراسة المقدّسة؛ يسرّهم شرحُ الفيدا، وهم ذوو بصيرة في معرفة البراهمن (Brahman).

Word by Word

• vedānta-gāḥ: versed in Vedānta / having reached Vedānta
• vedānta-gāḥ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda + anta + gā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (dvijāḥ); ‘वेदान्तं गच्छन्ति/गताः’ इत्यर्थे

• dvijāḥ: Brahmins (twice-born)
• dvijāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन

• sarve: all
• sarve: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (dvijāḥ)

• nityam: always
• nityam: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन-द्वितीया (adverbial accusative)

• svādhyāya-śīlinaḥ: habitually devoted to self-study
• svādhyāya-śīlinaḥ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svādhyāya + śīlin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (dvijāḥ); ‘स्वाध्याये शीलं येषाम्’

• veda-vyākhyāna-saṃhṛṣṭāḥ: delighted by explaining the Veda
• veda-vyākhyāna-saṃhṛṣṭāḥ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda + vyākhyāna + saṃhṛṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from √hṛṣ with saṃ-)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (dvijāḥ); ‘वेदव्याख्यानेन संहृष्टाः’

• brahma-jñāna-vicakṣaṇāḥ: skilled in knowledge of Brahman
• brahma-jñāna-vicakṣaṇāḥ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brahman + jñāna + vicakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (dvijāḥ); ‘ब्रह्मज्ञान-विषये विचक्षणाः’

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative voice within Nāgarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A shaded temple-maṇḍapa turned into a pāṭhaśālā: brāhmaṇas seated with palm-leaf manuscripts, one expounding, others listening; a quiet shrine nearby, indicating harmony of jñāna and bhakti.

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Veda
• Vedānta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A sacred land is recognized not only by miracles but by the living presence of Vedic learning, discipline, and Brahma-jñāna.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader tīrtha-region of the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya is praised; the verse itself does not specify a named shrine.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Svādhyāya (regular Vedic study/recitation) and Veda-vyākhyāna (teaching/exposition) are highlighted as ongoing dharmic practices.