Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

सत्कीर्त्या राजते लोकश्चंद्रश्चंद्रिकया न्यथा । गजाश्वहेमनिचयं रत्नराशिं नगोपमम्

Transliteration

satkīrtyā rājate lokaścaṃdraścaṃdrikayā nyathā | gajāśvahemanicayaṃ ratnarāśiṃ nagopamam

Translation

Durch edlen Ruhm erglänzt die Welt, wie der Mond durch sein Mondlicht erstrahlt; nicht durch Haufen von Elefanten und Pferden, nicht durch Vorräte an Gold, noch durch einen berggleichen Schatz an Juwelen.

Word by Word

• सत्कीर्त्या: by good fame
• सत्कीर्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + कीर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (सत्कीर्तिः = good fame)

• राजते: shines
• राजते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: राज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• लोकः: the world
• लोकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (and)

• चन्द्रः: the moon
• चन्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (and)

• चन्द्रिकया: by moonlight
• चन्द्रिकया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्रिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparator/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (comparative: as/just as)

• गज-अश्व-हेम-निचयम्: a collection of elephants, horses, and gold
• गज-अश्व-हेम-निचयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक) + अश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + हेम (प्रातिपदिक) + निचय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (gajas + aśvas + hema as a collection)

• रत्न-राशिम्: heap of jewels
• रत्न-राशिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + राशि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रत्नानां राशिः = heap of jewels)

• नग-उपमम्: mountain-like
• नग-उपमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नग (प्रातिपदिक) + उपम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; उपमान-तत्पुरुष (नग इव उपमम् = like a mountain); विशेषण (रत्नराशिम्/निचयम्)

Speaker

Unspecified (didactic instruction within Brahmottara Khaṇḍa narrative)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous full moon spreads moonlight over the earth; below, piles of gold, jewels, elephants, and horses appear dull and shadowed, while a subtle radiant aura labeled satkīrti illuminates people and cities.

Characters & Entities

• Candra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Satkīrti (dharma-based renown) is what truly makes one radiant; material power and treasure are secondary.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; this is a moral analogy rather than a pilgrimage-description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it recommends valuing dharmic reputation above displays of wealth.