Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 95

Devanagari script

नरेन्द्रैर्नैव नः कार्यं न दिशैर्न पुरैर्नृप । वनेचरा वयं नित्यं शिवाराधनतत्पराः

Transliteration

narendrairnaiva naḥ kāryaṃ na diśairna purairnṛpa | vanecarā vayaṃ nityaṃ śivārādhanatatparāḥ

Translation

O König, wir haben weder mit Herrschern zu schaffen, noch mit Himmelsrichtungen und Ländern, noch mit Städten. Wir weilen stets im Wald, ganz dem Gottesdienst an Śiva hingegeben.

Word by Word

• narendraiḥ: with kings; by rulers
• narendraiḥ: Karana (Instrument/Association/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: narendra (नरेन्द्र प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (plural)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध (negation)

• eva: indeed; at all
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (एव अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• naḥ: of us; for us
• naḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) बहुवचन (plural) (also possible दative in some contexts); here genitive ‘of us’

• kāryam: business; need; concern
• kāryam: Kriya (Predicate nominal/क्रिया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (कार्य प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular); here predicate nominal ‘(there is) no need/concern’

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध (negation)

• diśaiḥ: with directions/quarters
• diśaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/Association/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (दिश् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (plural)

• na: nor
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध (negation)

• puraiḥ: with cities
• puraiḥ: Karana (Instrument/Association/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pura (पुर प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (plural)

• nṛpa: O king
• nṛpa: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (नृप प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (singular)

• vane-carāḥ: forest-dwellers
• vane-carāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (वन) + cara (चर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (plural); समासः—तत्पुरुष (‘वने चरन्ति’ = those who roam in the forest)

• vayam: we
• vayam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (plural)

• nityam: always
• nityam: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nityam (नित्यम् अव्यय/नित्य)
• Form: अव्ययवत् (adverbial accusative), कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• śiva-ārādhana-tatparāḥ: devoted to Śiva-worship
• śiva-ārādhana-tatparāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śiva (शिव) + ārādhana (आराधन) + tatpara (तत्पर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (plural); समासः—तत्पुरुष (‘शिवस्य आराधने तत्पराः’ = devoted to worship of Śiva)

Speaker

Tāpasas (forest ascetics)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ascetics declare their independence from kings and cities, standing or seated with rudrākṣa and matted hair, focused on a simple Śiva symbol (liṅga) in the forest.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• tāpasas
• rājā (king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion to Śiva and steady austerity are portrayed as superior to worldly power, fame, and political concerns.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse emphasizes Śiva-worship in a forest setting; the specific tīrtha is contextual in the broader chapter rather than named here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śivārādhana (worship of Śiva) is indicated as their constant practice, without detailing a specific rite.