Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

अपि धर्मसमोपेतस्तपसाऽपि समन्वितः । एतस्मात्कारणात्प्रोक्ता मुनिभिस्तु सपिंडता

Transliteration

api dharmasamopetastapasā'pi samanvitaḥ | etasmātkāraṇātproktā munibhistu sapiṃḍatā

Translation

Selbst wenn der Verstorbene mit Dharma erfüllt und auch mit Tapas (Askese) verbunden war, eben aus diesem Grund haben die Weisen sapiṇḍatā vorgeschrieben.

Word by Word

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Discourse particle (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपवादार्थक अव्यय (even/also)

• धर्मसमोपेतः: endowed with dharma
• धर्मसमोपेतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + सम् + उप + इ (धातु) + उपेत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (धर्मेण समोपेतः/धर्मसम्पन्नः), क्त-कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — nominative singular

• तपसा: with austerity
• तपसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन — instrumental singular

• अपि: also
• अपि: Discourse particle (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (also)

• समन्वितः: accompanied/possessed
• समन्वितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + अनु + इ (धातु) + समन्वित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — nominative singular

• एतस्मात्: from this/for this reason
• एतस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन — ablative singular

• कारणात्: cause/reason
• कारणात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन — ablative singular

• प्रोक्ता: is declared
• प्रोक्ता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) + प्रोक्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — passive predicative; agreeing with सपिण्डता

• मुनिभिः: by sages
• मुनिभिः: Kartr (Agent in passive/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन — instrumental plural

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Discourse particle (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक अव्यय (but/indeed)

• सपिण्डता: sapiṇḍatā
• सपिण्डता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/सह) + पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + ता (तद्धित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — nominative singular

Speaker

Bhartṛyajña (continuation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sage emphasizes that tapas and dharma do not replace the integrating rite; visual contrast between an ascetic’s aura and the formal śrāddha altar, showing both as complementary.

Characters & Entities

• Munis (sages)
• Dharma
• Tapas
• Sapiṇḍatā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Personal virtue does not replace ritual obligations; ancestral rites are a distinct dharmic requirement for post-death welfare.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is embedded in Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra-māhātmya, but no single tīrtha is praised in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sapiṇḍatā is affirmed as a prescribed rite, necessary regardless of the deceased’s dharma or tapas.