Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

विचारेण शमो ग्राह्यः सन्तोषेण तथा हि सः । मात्सर्यमृजुभावेन नियच्छेत्स मुनीश्वरः

Transliteration

vicāreṇa śamo grāhyaḥ santoṣeṇa tathā hi saḥ | mātsaryamṛjubhāvena niyacchetsa munīśvaraḥ

Translation

Śama (Selbstzucht) soll durch unterscheidende Betrachtung ergriffen werden, und sie wird durch Zufriedenheit getragen. Der erhabene Weise soll Eifersucht (mātsarya) durch Geradheit und Herzenssanftmut zügeln.

Word by Word

• विचारेण: by reflection/discrimination
• विचारेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• शमः: tranquility, calmness
• शमः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• ग्राह्यः: should be accepted
• ग्राह्यः: Vidhi (Injunctive predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) + य (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (यत्/य), भावे/कर्मणि; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘to be accepted/should be taken’

• सन्तोषेण: by contentment
• सन्तोषेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्तोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• तथा: thus, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• सः: he/that (one)
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun nominative singular

• मात्सर्य: envy
• मात्सर्य: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मात्सर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• ऋजुभावेन: by straightforwardness
• ऋजुभावेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋजु (प्रातिपदिक) + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (ऋजु-भावः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• नियच्छेत्: should restrain
• नियच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + यम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; ‘should restrain’

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun nominative singular

• मुनीश्वरः: lord of sages
• मुनीश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मुनीनां ईश्वरः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

Speaker

Brahmā (inferred from chapter colophon context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage instructing disciples at a tīrtha rest-house: four symbolic lotuses labeled Vichāra, Santoṣa, Ārjava, Mardava forming a garland around the heart; a dark figure ‘Mātsarya’ is gently bound and calmed, not violently attacked.

Characters & Entities

• Munīśvara (ideal sage)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Discernment and contentment are the practical supports of self-restraint, while upright gentleness curbs envy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is embedded in the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya section of Nāgara-khaṇḍa, linking inner discipline to tīrtha-oriented dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A sādhana-style instruction: cultivate vicāra (reflection), santoṣa (contentment), and ṛjubhāva (uprightness) to stabilize śama and restrain mātsarya.