Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

प्रव्रज्यावर्जनैरेवं सच्छूद्रैर्धर्मतत्परैः । तोषणं सर्वभूतानां कार्यं वित्तानुसारतः

Transliteration

pravrajyāvarjanairevaṃ sacchūdrairdharmatatparaiḥ | toṣaṇaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ kāryaṃ vittānusārataḥ

Translation

So sollen die rechtschaffenen Śūdra, indem sie unrechtmäßiges Umherziehen meiden und dem Dharma zugewandt bleiben, sich — nach ihren Mitteln — bemühen, allen Wesen Zufriedenheit zu schenken.

Word by Word

• प्रव्रज्या-वर्जनैः: by avoiding (premature) renunciation
• प्रव्रज्या-वर्जनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रव्रज्या (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; ‘प्रव्रज्यावर्जन’ = avoidance of renunciation/going forth

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: thus/in this way)

• सत्-शूद्रैः: by virtuous śūdras
• सत्-शूद्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; ‘सच्छूद्र’ = good/virtuous śūdras

• धर्म-तत्परैः: by those devoted to dharma
• धर्म-तत्परैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; विशेषण—intent on dharma

• तोषणम्: pleasing/satisfying
• तोषणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोषण (प्रातिपदिक; from √तुष्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• सर्व-भूतानाम्: of all beings
• सर्व-भूतानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• कार्यम्: should be done
• कार्यम्: Vidhi (Injunction/विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कार्य (कृदन्त; कर्तव्य)
• Form: कर्तव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विध्यर्थः—‘should be done’

• वित्त-अनुसारतः: according to one’s means
• वित्त-अनुसारतः: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वित्त (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुसार (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित/अव्ययार्थ)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (adverbial: according to); ‘according to wealth/means’

Speaker

Brahmā (in Brahmā–Nārada dialogue context continuing from the prior adhyāya material)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nārada

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A righteous worker-householder distributes food and water to travelers, ascetics, and animals near a kṣetra boundary marker; a ‘no wandering’ motif shown by a staff planted at home signifying staying put for vrata.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is expressed through restrained conduct and compassionate support of living beings, practiced within one’s capacity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The wider passage belongs to the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra-māhātmya within Nāgara-khaṇḍa’s Tīrtha-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No single rite is prescribed; the verse emphasizes ethical duty—benefiting beings and giving/serving according to one’s means.