Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

सत्संगो विष्णुपूजा च सत्यवादो दया हृदि । आर्जवं मधुरा वाणी सच्चरित्रे सदा रतिः

Transliteration

satsaṃgo viṣṇupūjā ca satyavādo dayā hṛdi | ārjavaṃ madhurā vāṇī saccaritre sadā ratiḥ

Translation

সৎসঙ্গ, বিষ্ণুপূজা, সত্যভাষণ এবং হৃদয়ে দয়া; সরলতা, মধুর বাক্য ও সদাচারে সদা আসক্তি—এগুলি ধর্মানুশাসনের লক্ষণ।

Word by Word

• सत्सङ्गः: company of the good
• सत्सङ्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् + सङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विष्णुपूजा: worship of Vishnu
• विष्णुपूजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सत्यवादः: truth-speaking
• सत्यवादः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य + वाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दया: compassion
• दया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हृदि: in the heart
• हृदि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आर्जवम्: straightforwardness
• आर्जवम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्जव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मधुरा: sweet
• मधुरा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of वाणी)

• वाणी: speech
• वाणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सत्: good, virtuous
• सत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• चरित्रे: in conduct/character
• चरित्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• रतिः: delight, attachment
• रतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Skanda Purāṇa tīrthamāhātmya discourse style; exact speaker not stated in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tīrtha assembly: pilgrims gathered in sat-saṅga, singing Viṣṇu-nāma; a small shrine with Viṣṇu; one devotee offering flowers while others exchange gentle, truthful counsel; a compassionate act (feeding, helping) shown as the heart of the discipline.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True religious life is recognized by inner compassion and outer integrity—satsanga, Viṣṇu-worship, truth, sweetness of speech, and steady commitment to good conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse occurs within a Tīrthamāhātmya setting of the Nāgarakhaṇḍa, but this particular line emphasizes ethical qualifications rather than naming a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Viṣṇu-pūjā (worship of Viṣṇu) is explicitly stated, framed alongside moral disciplines that support vrata practice.