Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

सर्वकृत्यानि कार्याणि भृत्यवद्विनयान्वितैः । नित्यं रक्षा विधातव्या युष्मदीयं वचोखिलम्

Transliteration

sarvakṛtyāni kāryāṇi bhṛtyavadvinayānvitaiḥ | nityaṃ rakṣā vidhātavyā yuṣmadīyaṃ vacokhilam

Translation

Alle notwendigen Pflichten sollen in Demut vollbracht werden, wie von ergebenen Dienern. Und euer ganzes Wort und eure Weisung müssen fortwährend bewahrt und aufrechterhalten werden.

Word by Word

• sarva-kṛtyāni: all duties
• sarva-kṛtyāni: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛtya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (सर्वाणि कृत्यानि), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; kāryāṇi इति विशेषण

• kāryāṇi: tasks to be done
• kāryāṇi: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• bhṛtya-vat: like a servant
• bhṛtya-vat: Kriya-visheshana (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhṛtya (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानार्थक (like a servant), क्रियाविशेषणवत्

• vinaya-anvitaiḥ: by those endowed with humility
• vinaya-anvitaiḥ: Karana (Agent group in instruction)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vinaya (प्रातिपदिक) + anvita (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (विनयेन अन्विताः), पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन; कर्तृ-विशेषण (those endowed with humility)

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Frequency)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (always)

• rakṣā: protection
• rakṣā: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• vidhātavyā: must be provided
• vidhātavyā: Kriya (Obligation predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√dhā (धातु) + तव्यत्; vidhātavyā (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त, विधेय/कर्तव्य), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'is to be arranged/provided'

• yuṣmadīyam: your
• yuṣmadīyam: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yuṣmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम) + īya (तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; vacaḥ इति विशेषण (your)

• vacaḥ: word; instruction
• vacaḥ: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• akhilam: entire; all
• akhilam: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akhila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; vacaḥ इति विशेषण

Speaker

The king (addressing the summoned brāhmaṇas/learned custodians)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gartā-tīrtha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brāhmaṇas instruct; attendants and officials carry out tasks with humility like devoted servants—guarding records, maintaining boundaries, and ensuring daily rites continue without lapse.

Characters & Entities

• brāhmaṇa (implied from prior verse)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma thrives through disciplined, humble service and faithful protection of rightful instructions and institutional order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not directly; the verse concerns the governance framework supporting the tīrtha and its custodians.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual; it prescribes conduct—vinaya (humility), service-minded duty, and continual protection of orders.