Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

देशांतरप्रजातस्य तत्र जातस्य वा पुनः । अज्ञातपितृवर्गस्य सामा न्यं पदमिच्छतः

Transliteration

deśāṃtaraprajātasya tatra jātasya vā punaḥ | ajñātapitṛvargasya sāmā nyaṃ padamicchataḥ

Translation

—für einen, der in einem anderen Land geboren wurde, oder auch für einen, der dort (in der Fremde) geboren ist; für einen, dessen väterliche Abstammung unbekannt ist und der eine gewöhnliche, in der Gemeinschaft anerkannte Stellung begehrt.

Word by Word

• deśāntaraprajātasya: born in another country/region
• deśāntaraprajātasya: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: deśāntara + prajāta (प्रातिपदिक); (देशान्तर-प्रजातः)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: locative sense 'there')

• jātasya: of one who is born
• jātasya: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jan (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय) / jāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (disjunctive particle: 'or')

• punaḥ: again, further
• punaḥ: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: 'again/further')

• ajñātapitṛvargasya: whose paternal lineage/group is unknown
• ajñātapitṛvargasya: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ajñāta + pitṛ + varga (प्रातिपदिक); (अज्ञातः पितृ-वर्गः यस्य)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• sāmānyam: common, general
• sāmānyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sāmānya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• padam: status/position, footing
• padam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• icchataḥ: of one desiring
• icchataḥ: Sambandha (Genitive participle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (धातु) + śatṛ (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Brāhmaṇas (inquiring, as narrated by Viśvāmitra)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nṛpottama (unnamed king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The inquiry sharpens: what about one born in another land, or born there to migrants, and especially one whose paternal lineage is unknown—seeking ‘common standing’? The scene carries a compassionate tension between dharma and social belonging.

Characters & Entities

• Deśāntara
• Pitṛvarga (paternal lineage)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tradition addresses complex social situations—birth abroad or unknown lineage—through dharmic procedures aimed at rightful integration and purity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is cited; the verse frames eligibility and status questions within ritual law.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It requests instructions for purification/recognition for those born outside the homeland or with unknown paternal lineage seeking accepted standing.