Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

मया स्पर्द्धमानैश्च केवलं गुणगर्वितैः । तस्मादेषो न दातव्यत्वं त्वया किंचित्सुरेश्वर

Transliteration

mayā sparddhamānaiśca kevalaṃ guṇagarvitaiḥ | tasmādeṣo na dātavyatvaṃ tvayā kiṃcitsureśvara

Translation

„Da sie mit mir wetteifern, nur vom Stolz auf ihre eigenen Vorzüge erfüllt, sollst du ihnen daher, o Herr der Götter, überhaupt nichts gewähren.“

Word by Word

• मया: by me
• मया: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन — instrumental singular

• स्पर्द्धमानैः: by (those) competing
• स्पर्द्धमानैः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्पर्ध् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle) √स्पर्ध् + शतृ; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (implicit ‘जनैः’)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय) — conjunction

• केवलम्: only, merely
• केवलम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — indeclinable adverb

• गुण-गर्वितैः: proud of virtues
• गुण-गर्वितैः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण + गर्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; कृदन्तः (क्त/PPP) √गर्व् + क्त; समासः तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (गुणैः गर्वितः)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (हेतौ/therefore) — indeclinable particle

• एषः: this (one)
• एषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध/negation particle)

• दातव्यत्वम्: the state of being to-be-given / giving (as an obligation)
• दातव्यत्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दा (धातु) → दातव्य (कृदन्त) + त्व (तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कृदन्तः (तव्यत्/gerundive) दातव्य = √दा + तव्य; भाववाचक-त्व प्रत्यय (abstract noun)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karaṇa (Agent in passive sense/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन — instrumental singular

• किञ्चित्: anything, something
• किञ्चित्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — indefinite pronoun (some/anything)

• सुरेश्वर: O lord of the gods
• सुरेश्वर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8th), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सुराणाम् ईश्वरः)

Speaker

Citraśarmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Citraśarmā, tense and accusatory, urges Śiva to grant nothing to the others; the deity remains composed, highlighting the contrast between divine equanimity and human jealousy.

Characters & Entities

• Citraśarmā
• Śiva (Sureśvara)
• Rival brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Jealousy seeks to block others’ blessings; the narrative highlights how ego and rivalry oppose the kṣetra’s peace-making purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly, the kṣetra is shown as a moral theatre where divine justice and peace must prevail over rivalry.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a polemical request to deny boons.