Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

एते ब्राह्मणशार्दूला विनाशं यांति मत्कृते । एषोऽपि सर्वसंसिद्धो गणतुल्यो द्विजोत्तमः

Transliteration

ete brāhmaṇaśārdūlā vināśaṃ yāṃti matkṛte | eṣo'pi sarvasaṃsiddho gaṇatulyo dvijottamaḥ

Translation

„Diese tigerhaften Brahmanen gehen meinetwegen dem Verderben entgegen. Und auch dieser vortreffliche Brahmane—vollkommen vollendet—ist einem Śiva‑gaṇa gleich geworden.“

Word by Word

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• ब्राह्मणशार्दूलाः: tiger-like Brahmins (eminent Brahmins)
• ब्राह्मणशार्दूलाः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + शार्दूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (ब्राह्मणाः एव शार्दूलाः)

• विनाशम्: destruction
• विनाशम्: Gati-karma (Goal/Object of motion/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• यान्ति: go/are going
• यान्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• मत्कृते: for my sake/because of me
• मत्कृते: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मत् (अस्मद्-षष्ठी एकवचन-रूप) + कृते (कृ धातु; क्त-प्रत्यय; अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव (मत् + कृते), अर्थे हेतौ (for my sake/because of me)

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

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

• सर्वसंसिद्धः: fully accomplished in all respects
• सर्वसंसिद्धः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + संसिद्ध (सिद्ध प्रातिपदिक; सम्-उपसर्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सर्वेषु संसिद्धः = accomplished in all)

• गणतुल्यः: equal to a gaṇa (attendant of Śiva)
• गणतुल्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक) + तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (गणेन तुल्यः)

• द्विजोत्तमः: best of the twice-born (excellent Brahmin)
• द्विजोत्तमः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (द्विजेषु उत्तमः)

Speaker

Maheśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva speaks with sorrowful gravity, gesturing toward brāhmaṇas endangered by circumstances; beside them stands an accomplished brāhmaṇa radiating siddhi, subtly depicted with gaṇa-like aura.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara
• Brāhmaṇas
• Dwijottama
• Gaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the divine takes responsibility for protecting dharma and the welfare of Brāhmaṇas; spiritual power must never become a cause of others’ harm.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya context, praising a protective kṣetra where tīrthas gather for safety (the exact place-name is not stated in this single verse).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual (snāna, dāna, japa) is prescribed here; the focus is on dharmic protection and the status of a perfected Brāhmaṇa.