Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

भार्यारतिः शुचिर्भृत्यादीनां पोषणतत्परः । श्राद्धादिकारको नित्यमिष्टापूर्त्तप्रसाधकः

Transliteration

bhāryāratiḥ śucirbhṛtyādīnāṃ poṣaṇatatparaḥ | śrāddhādikārako nityamiṣṭāpūrttaprasādhakaḥ

Translation

So ist der ideale Hausherr: Er findet Freude an seiner Gattin, ist rein im Wandel, eifrig im Unterhalt von Dienern und Abhängigen, vollzieht stets śrāddha und verwandte Riten und vollendet die Werke von iṣṭa und pūrta—Verehrung und öffentliches Verdienst.

Word by Word

• भार्यारतिः: devoted to his wife
• भार्यारतिः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भार्या + रति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भार्यायां रतिः/भार्यायाः रतिः)

• शुचिः: pure, clean
• शुचिः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भृत्यादीनाम्: of servants and others
• भृत्यादीनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृत्य + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (भृत्याः आदयः)

• पोषणतत्परः: intent on supporting/nourishing
• पोषणतत्परः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पोषण + तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (पोषणे तत्परः)

• श्राद्धादिकारकः: performer of śrāddha and other rites
• श्राद्धादिकारकः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्राद्ध + आदि + कारक (प्रातिपदिक); कारक < √कृ (कृ धातु) + ण्वुल्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (श्राद्धादीनां कारकः)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• इष्टापूर्त्तप्रसाधकः: accomplisher of iṣṭa (sacrificial) and pūrta (charitable) acts
• इष्टापूर्त्तप्रसाधकः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष्ट + आपूर्त्त + प्रसाधक (प्रातिपदिक); प्रसाधक < प्र-√साध् (साध् धातु) + ण्वुल्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-पूर्वपद (इष्ट-आपूर्त्तयोः) तत्पुरुष-सम्बन्ध (तयोः प्रसाधकः)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced for Nāgarakhaṇḍa māhātmya-style narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An ideal householder’s day: affectionate couple in a clean home, servants/dependents being fed, a śrāddha setup with piṇḍa/tilodaka nearby, and a public-benefit act (donation for a well/feeding house) suggested in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma in daily life is fulfilled through purity, care for family and dependents, honoring ancestors, and sustaining worship and charity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is directly named; the verse teaches dharma that supports the broader tīrtha-māhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Regular śrāddha and allied rites, along with iṣṭa (worship) and pūrta (charitable/public merit works).