Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणा ऊचुः । निष्परिग्रहधर्माणो वानप्रस्था वयं द्विजाः । सद्यःप्रक्षालकाः किं नो राज्येन विभवेन च

Transliteration

brāhmaṇā ūcuḥ | niṣparigrahadharmāṇo vānaprasthā vayaṃ dvijāḥ | sadyaḥprakṣālakāḥ kiṃ no rājyena vibhavena ca

Translation

Die Brāhmaṇas sprachen: „Wir sind Zweimalgeborene, Vānaprasthas, dem Dharma des Nicht-Besitzens ergeben. Wir reinigen uns sogleich—was sollten wir mit einem Reich und weltlichem Glanz anfangen?“

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणाः: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• निष्परिग्रहधर्माणः: having the dharma of non-possession
• निष्परिग्रहधर्माणः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्परिग्रह-धर्म (प्रातिपदिक; निष्+परिग्रह + धर्म)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• वानप्रस्थाः: forest-dwellers (vānaprasthas)
• वानप्रस्थाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानप्रस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• द्विजाः: twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजाः: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सद्यःप्रक्षालकाः: immediately purifying/cleansing
• सद्यःप्रक्षालकाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सद्यः-प्रक्षालक (प्रातिपदिक; सद्यः + प्रक्षालक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• किम्: what (use)
• किम्: Prashna (Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

• नः: for us / of us
• नः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन; एन्क्लिटिक रूप

• राज्येन: with a kingdom / by kingship
• राज्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• विभवेन: with wealth/power
• विभवेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Brāhmaṇas (Vānaprasthas)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and other ṛṣis (typical frame; not explicit in the verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of vānaprastha brāhmaṇas—matted hair, bark garments, water-pot and staff—speak calmly to a king, declining royal gifts and splendor, emphasizing non-possession and immediate purification.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Vānaprastha āśrama
• Niṣparigraha (non-possession)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Renunciation and inner purity outweigh material gifts; spiritual authority rests on non-attachment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching occurs within the Śaṃkhatīrtha narrative frame, reinforcing the tīrtha’s role in producing dharmic transformation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Niṣparigraha (non-acceptance of possessions) and prompt purification are upheld as vānaprastha conduct, rather than accepting wealth.