Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

मार्कंडेय उवाच । अग्निहोत्रफला वेदाः शीलवृत्तफलं श्रुतम् । रतिपुत्रफला दारा दत्तभुक्तफलं धनम्

Transliteration

mārkaṃḍeya uvāca | agnihotraphalā vedāḥ śīlavṛttaphalaṃ śrutam | ratiputraphalā dārā dattabhuktaphalaṃ dhanam

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya sprach: „Die Veden tragen Frucht, wenn sie in der Agnihotra (Feueropfer) ihren Abschluss finden. Lernen trägt Frucht, wenn es in gutem Charakter und rechter Lebensführung mündet. Das Hausleben trägt Frucht in Liebe und würdiger Nachkommenschaft. Reichtum trägt Frucht, wenn er rechtmäßig genossen und zudem als Gabe gespendet wird.“

Word by Word

• मार्कण्डेयः: Mārkaṇḍeya
• मार्कण्डेयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• अग्निहोत्रफलाः: having Agnihotra as (their) fruit
• अग्निहोत्रफलाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्निहोत्र + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (qualifier)

• वेदाः: the Vedas
• वेदाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• शीलवृत्तफलम्: having good conduct and behavior as fruit
• शीलवृत्तफलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शील + वृत्त + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• श्रुतम्: the Śruti (revealed scripture)
• श्रुतम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुत (प्रातिपदिक; √श्रु-धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• रतिपुत्रफलाः: having pleasure and sons as fruit
• रतिपुत्रफलाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रति + पुत्र + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण

• दाराः: wives
• दाराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• दत्तभुक्तफलम्: having (wealth) given and enjoyed as fruit
• दत्तभुक्तफलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दत्त + भुक्त + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka-group (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sage delivers a four-part teaching; behind him appear emblematic tableaux: a sacred fire altar (Agnihotra), a figure embodying good conduct, a harmonious couple with a child, and a donor offering gifts to a worthy recipient.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Agnihotra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True ‘success’ is dharmic fruition: ritual grounded in Veda, learning expressed as virtue, family life as love and progeny, and wealth as charity plus rightful enjoyment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named site; it is a universal dharma teaching embedded within the tīrtha-māhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Agnihotra is highlighted as the practical fruit of Vedic adherence; dāna (giving) is prescribed as the fruit of wealth.