Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन कुलं ज्ञेयं द्बिजन्मनाम् । शीलं पश्चाद्वयो नाम कन्यादानं ततः परम्

Transliteration

tasmātsarvaprayatnena kulaṃ jñeyaṃ dbijanmanām | śīlaṃ paścādvayo nāma kanyādānaṃ tataḥ param

Translation

Darum soll man mit allem Eifer zuerst die Abstammung der Zweimalgeborenen (dvija) feststellen; danach ihren Wandel; dann Alter und Namen; und erst danach Angelegenheiten wie die Heiratsverbindung durch die Hingabe der Tochter zur Ehe.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Reason)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् इति अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगः/निपातवत्; ‘therefore/from that reason’ (ablatival adverb)

• सर्वप्रयत्नेन: with every effort
• सर्वप्रयत्नेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः ‘all-effort’; adverbial instrumental ‘with all effort’

• कुलम्: family/lineage
• कुलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• ज्ञेयम्: should be known
• ज्ञेयम्: Vidhi (Obligation predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) → ज्ञेय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, तव्यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तव्यत्-प्रत्ययः (gerundive) ‘to be known’

• द्विजन्मनाम्: of the twice-born
• द्विजन्मनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (द्वि-जन्मनः) ‘of the twice-born’

• शीलम्: conduct/character
• शीलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; (elliptic listing)

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kala (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of time) ‘afterwards’

• वयः: age
• वयः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• नाम: namely
• नाम: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः; ‘namely/indeed’ (marker of enumeration)

• कन्यादानम्: giving a maiden in marriage
• कन्यादानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कन्यायाः दानम्)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Krama (Sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोगः (ablatival adverb) ‘then/thereafter’

• परम्: next
• परम्: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘next/supreme’; here ‘next (in order)’

Speaker

Unspecified (didactic voice; addressing norms of dharmic discernment)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A householder consults elders to verify a dvija’s lineage; then observes his conduct; finally, a formal kanyādāna scene is prepared—three panels in one narrative flow.

Characters & Entities

• Dvi-ja
• Kanyādāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma requires discernment: evaluate lineage and conduct carefully before entrusting sacred responsibilities and alliances.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is named in this verse; it supplies dharma-criteria used while performing rites in tīrthas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A practical order of verification—lineage first, then conduct, then personal particulars—before engaging someone in major dharmic acts.