Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

मुक्त्वैकां द्विजशुश्रूषा न शूद्रास्तत्र चक्रिरे । किंचित्कर्म सुरश्रेष्ठ श्रद्धया परया युताः

Transliteration

muktvaikāṃ dvijaśuśrūṣā na śūdrāstatra cakrire | kiṃcitkarma suraśreṣṭha śraddhayā parayā yutāḥ

Translation

ما عدا خدمة «ذوي الميلادين» (دڤيجا)، لم يباشر الشودرا هناك عملاً آخر؛ يا أسمى الآلهة، وقد تزيّنوا بإيمانٍ أسمى، لم يؤدّوا إلا واجباتٍ يسيرة محدودة.

Word by Word

• मुक्त्वा: having abandoned/excepting
• मुक्त्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• एकाम्: one (single)
• एकाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम्—(द्विजशुश्रूषाम्)

• द्विजशुश्रूषाम्: service to the twice-born (Brahmins etc.)
• द्विजशुश्रूषाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज-शुश्रूषा (प्रातिपदिक; components: द्विज + शुश्रूषा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• शूद्राः: the Śūdras
• शूद्राः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• चक्रिरे: did/performed
• चक्रिरे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural); आत्मनेपदम्

• किंचित्: some, a little
• किंचित्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किंचित् (सर्वनाम/अव्ययप्राय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); अनिश्चितपरिमाणवाचक (indefinite)

• कर्म: work, act
• कर्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• सुरश्रेष्ठ: O best of gods
• सुरश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर-श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; components: सुर + श्रेष्ठ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• परया: supreme, highest
• परया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम्—श्रद्धया

• युताः: endowed (with)
• युताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यु (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम्—शूद्राः

Speaker

Unspecified (addressing a deity as listener: “suraśreṣṭha”)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Indra (Surasreṣṭha)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A quiet āśrama-like setting where attendants offer water, seats, and ritual support to dvijas; faces show reverence and focused faith; minimal possessions emphasize restraint.

Characters & Entities

• Suraśreṣṭha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The text portrays a realm where duties are performed with śraddhā and restraint, emphasizing order and devotion as signs of holiness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The excerpt does not specify a named shrine; it continues the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya’s praise of the sacred region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed; the verse highlights service (śuśrūṣā) and faith (śraddhā) as core virtues.