Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 8
Devanagari script
नानाविधानि शास्त्राणि स्मृतयश्च पृथग्विधाः । पुराणानि समस्तानि वीक्षध्वं सुसमाहिताः
Transliteration
nānāvidhāni śāstrāṇi smṛtayaśca pṛthagvidhāḥ | purāṇāni samastāni vīkṣadhvaṃ susamāhitāḥ
Translation
নানাবিধ শাস্ত্র, বিভিন্ন স্মৃতি এবং সমগ্র পুরাণসমূহ—সম্পূর্ণ একাগ্রচিত্তে—ভালভাবে পরীক্ষা করে দেখো।
Word by Word
नानाविधानिof various kinds
नानाविधानि:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootनाना (अव्यय) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (नानाविधानि = of various kinds)
शास्त्राणिtreatises, scriptures
शास्त्राणि:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootशास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Plural)
स्मृतयःSmṛtis (traditional law texts)
स्मृतयः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootस्मृति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Feminine, Nom, Plural)
चand
च:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)
पृथग्विधाःof different kinds
पृथग्विधाः:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootपृथक् (अव्यय) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (पृथग्विधाः = of different sorts)
पुराणानिPurāṇas
पुराणानि:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Plural)
समस्तानिall, entire
समस्तानि:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसमस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Plural; adjective)
वीक्षध्वम्look/examine (you all)
वीक्षध्वम्:
Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवीक्ष् (धातु)
Formलोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada)
सुसमाहिताःwell-attentive, well-collected (in mind)
सुसमाहिताः:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसु (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + समाहित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (Masculine, Nom, Plural; ‘well-composed/attentive’)
Speaker
Unnamed Nāgara dvija(s) (internal dialogue/counsel)
Characters & Entities
Ś
ŚāstraS
SmṛtiP
PurāṇaFAQs
Dharma is to be ascertained through careful consultation of authoritative traditions—śāstra, smṛti, and purāṇa—rather than impulse.
The verse is procedural rather than geographical; it supports the tīrtha narrative by showing how correct expiation is determined within the sacred setting.
A prescription to consult authoritative texts; the concrete rite is introduced later.