Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

यथायथा भवेल्लाभो वांचितस्य नृणामिह । हविषा कृष्णवर्त्मेव वृद्धिं याति तथातथा

Transliteration

yathāyathā bhavellābho vāṃcitasya nṛṇāmiha | haviṣā kṛṣṇavartmeva vṛddhiṃ yāti tathātathā

Translation

Je mehr die Menschen hier das Ersehnte gewinnen, desto mehr wächst ihr Verlangen—wie ein Feuer, das anschwillt, wenn man es mit Opfergaben nährt.

Word by Word

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (indeclinable of manner: 'as')

• यथा: so/as
• यथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति (reduplication for emphasis: 'as...so')

• भवेत्: may be/occurs
• भवेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• लाभः: gain
• लाभः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लाभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• वाञ्छितस्य: of the desired (object)
• वाञ्छितस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाञ्छित (कृदन्त; वाञ्छ् धातु + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; विशेषण (desired/of what is desired)

• नृणाम्: of men/people
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• इह: here (in this world)
• इह: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• हविषा: with oblation (ghee etc.)
• हविषा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हविस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• कृष्णवर्त्मा: the black path (fire/Agni as 'black-tracked')
• कृष्णवर्त्मा: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण-वर्त्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; कृष्ण + वर्त्मन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (कृष्णं वर्त्म यस्य/कृष्णं वर्त्म)

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (Comparative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमावाचक (particle of comparison)

• वृद्धिम्: increase
• वृद्धिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• याति: goes/attains
• याति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तथा: so
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (so, in that manner)

• तथा: accordingly
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति (emphatic repetition)

Speaker

Atithi (inferred)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (contextual frame)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative pilgrim watches a sacrificial fire flare up as clarified butter is poured; the flame becomes a metaphor for craving swelling with each ‘gain’.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Satisfying craving often amplifies it; restraint and discernment are needed for peace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The discourse is situated in the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra-māhātmya portion of Nāgara-khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse uses yajña imagery (havis and fire) as a moral metaphor.