Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

कथंचिदपि चेष्टेन धनेनालिजनेन च । पराक्रमेण धर्मेण कलत्रेण विशेषतः

Transliteration

kathaṃcidapi ceṣṭena dhanenālijanena ca | parākrameṇa dharmeṇa kalatreṇa viśeṣataḥ

Translation

যে-কোনো প্রকার প্রচেষ্টা দ্বারা, ধন দ্বারা, স্বজন-সম্পর্ক দ্বারা, পরাক্রম দ্বারা, ধর্ম দ্বারা, এবং বিশেষত পত্নীর দ্বারা—

Word by Word

• कथंचित्: somehow, in some way
• कथंचित्: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-भाव (also/even)

• चेष्टेन: by effort, by activity
• चेष्टेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; साधन-करण (instrumental of means)

• धनेन: by wealth
• धनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• अलिजनेन: by a circle of friends/associates
• अलिजनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलिजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

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

• पराक्रमेण: by valor, by prowess
• पराक्रमेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• धर्मेण: by righteousness, by dharma
• धर्मेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• कलत्रेण: by a wife/spouse
• कलत्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• विशेषतः: especially, particularly
• विशेषतः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/विशेषवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: especially)

Speaker

Sūta (continued narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic courtly tableau: a narrator enumerates supports of life—wealth, allies, valor, dharma, and spouse—suggesting the worldly stage before a sacred journey begins.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Human aims often rely on effort and supports (wealth, allies, dharma, family), setting the stage for a higher refuge taught through the tīrtha.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The surrounding passage belongs to the Karṇotpalā Tīrtha Māhātmya, though this line itself is a narrative lead-in.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly in this verse; it prepares the narrative context.