Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

चत्वार्येतानि कृत्यानि मयोक्तानि च तानि ते । यथा तानि प्रकृत्यानि लोकद्वयमभीप्सता

Transliteration

catvāryetāni kṛtyāni mayoktāni ca tāni te | yathā tāni prakṛtyāni lokadvayamabhīpsatā

Translation

Diese vier Pflichten habe ich dir dargelegt—Pflichten, die der, welcher Wohlergehen in beiden Welten (hier und im Jenseits) begehrt, wie seine eigene Natur üben soll.

Word by Word

• चत्वारि: four
• चत्वारि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); संख्यावाचक विशेषण

• एतानि: these
• एतानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); निर्देशात्मक (demonstrative)

• कृत्यानि: duties / things to be done
• कृत्यानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/कर्ता-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष सर्वनाम; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• उक्तानि: said (spoken)
• उक्तानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय) → उक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत (past passive participle)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• तानि: those (things)
• तानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ते: to you / for you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यम-पुरुष सर्वनाम; चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Dative/Genitive 4th/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• यथा: as / so that
• यथा: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकार/यथार्थबोधक (as/so that)

• तानि: those (things)
• तानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• प्रकृत्यानि: proper / in accordance with nature
• प्रकृत्यानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (natural/according to nature)

• लोकद्वयम्: the two worlds
• लोकद्वयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अभीप्सता: by (one) desiring
• अभीप्सता: Kartr-sambandha (Agent-associated)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि-ईप्स् (धातु) + शतृ (प्रत्यय) → अभीप्सत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (contextual continuation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage instructs an attentive assembly, emphasizing four essential duties; the atmosphere is calm, didactic, and solemn, with palm-leaf manuscripts and ritual implements nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma must become habitual: consistent practice of core duties secures well-being in both worldly life and the afterlife.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is named; it summarizes dharma teaching within the broader tīrtha-māhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It points back to the four ‘fruits’/duties described (Vedic practice such as Agnihotra, virtuous conduct, dharmic household life, and charity with righteous enjoyment of wealth).