Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

इह लोके च धनिनां परोऽपि स्वजनायते । स्वजनोऽपि दरिद्राणां कार्यार्थे दुर्जनायते

Transliteration

iha loke ca dhanināṃ paro'pi svajanāyate | svajano'pi daridrāṇāṃ kāryārthe durjanāyate

Translation

In dieser Welt wird dem Reichen selbst ein Fremder wie ein Angehöriger. Dem Armen aber werden sogar die Eigenen feindselig, sobald es gilt, eine Sache zu erledigen.

Word by Word

• इह: here
• इह: देशाधिकरण (Locative sense/Adverbial location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

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

• धनिनाम्: of the wealthy
• धनिनाम्: सम्बन्ध (Possessor/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• परः: a stranger/other person
• परः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Particle modifying clause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अपि—सम्भावना/अपवाद/अतिशयार्थक particle)

• स्वजनायते: becomes like one’s own kinsman
• स्वजनायते: क्रिया (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्वजन (प्रातिपदिक) + √अस् (धातु)
• Form: स्वजन-आयते (नामधातु/denominative), लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• स्वजनः: one’s own relative
• स्वजनः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Particle modifying clause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle)

• दरिद्राणाम्: of the poor
• दरिद्राणाम्: सम्बन्ध (Possessor/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दरिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• कार्यार्थे: in the matter of accomplishing a task
• कार्यार्थे: अधिकरण (Context/occasion: 'in the matter of')
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कार्यस्य अर्थः = purpose of a task)

• दुर्जनायते: becomes like a wicked person
• दुर्जनायते: क्रिया (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दुर्जन (प्रातिपदिक) + √अस् (धातु)
• Form: दुर्जन-आयते (नामधातु/denominative), लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Kṣatriya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wealthy pilgrim is warmly welcomed by strangers, while a poor man is turned away by his own kin when he asks for help; a tīrtha setting in the background hints at moral instruction.

Characters & Entities

• dhanin (wealthy)
• daridra (poor)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True dharma is tested in how one treats the vulnerable; charity and loyalty should not be dictated by wealth or utility.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it conveys a universal social teaching within the mahātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite is prescribed, but the ethical thrust supports dāna and compassionate aid to the poor.