Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

मध्यमाः स्वर्गमार्गं च दिव्यान्भोगान्मनोरमान् । अप्सरोभिः समं क्रीडां यज्ञाद्यैः कर्मभिः कृताम्

Transliteration

madhyamāḥ svargamārgaṃ ca divyānbhogānmanoramān | apsarobhiḥ samaṃ krīḍāṃ yajñādyaiḥ karmabhiḥ kṛtām

Translation

Die Mittelmäßigen suchen den Weg zum Himmel und liebliche, göttliche Genüsse—spielend in Gemeinschaft der Apsarās—erlangt durch Riten wie Opferhandlungen und andere rituelle Werke.

Word by Word

• मध्यमाः: the middling (people)
• मध्यमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (विशेष्य-लोपे)

• स्वर्ग-मार्गम्: the path to heaven
• स्वर्ग-मार्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'स्वर्गस्य मार्गः'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Avyaya (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• दिव्यान्: divine
• दिव्यान्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (भोगान् इति)

• भोगान्: enjoyments; pleasures
• भोगान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• मनोरमान्: delightful
• मनोरमान्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोरम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (भोगान् इति)

• अप्सरोभिः: with apsarases
• अप्सरोभिः: Sahakari/Instrument (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• समम्: together
• समम्: Sambandha/Avyaya (association)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: together/with)

• क्रीडाम्: play; sport
• क्रीडाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रीडा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यज्ञ-आद्यैः: by sacrifices and the like
• यज्ञ-आद्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थ-न (not avyaya): 'यज्ञादयः' इति बहुव्रीह्यर्थे न, किन्तु 'यज्ञ-आदि' कर्माणि—तैः; 'आदि' = 'etc.'

• कर्मभिः: by deeds; rites
• कर्मभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कृताम्: done; performed
• कृताम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (क्रीडाम् इति)

Speaker

Ṛṣayaḥ (continuing their statement/contextual framing)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritualist performs yajña with blazing fire and offerings; above, a vision of svarga unfolds—celestial gardens, jeweled pavilions, and apsarases dancing—depicting the madhyama’s desired fruit as wondrous yet sensuous.

Characters & Entities

• Svarga
• Apsaras
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual merit (karma) can lead to svarga and refined pleasures, yet it is a middling aim compared to liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions as a general teaching within the chapter’s sacred-geography narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Yajña and related ritual actions (yajñādyaiḥ karmabhiḥ) are indicated as the means to attain heavenly results.