Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

कर्मनिष्ठाश्च ते नित्यं सृष्ट्यर्थं सततोद्यताः । निर्व्यापारो विष्णुभक्त एकांतब्रह्मसेवकः

Transliteration

karmaniṣṭhāśca te nityaṃ sṛṣṭyarthaṃ satatodyatāḥ | nirvyāpāro viṣṇubhakta ekāṃtabrahmasevakaḥ

Translation

Jene Weisen waren stets im Handeln gefestigt und unablässig um das Werk der Schöpfung bemüht. Du aber bist frei von weltlicher Beschäftigung—ein Bhakta Viṣṇus, ausschließlich dem Dienst am Brahman hingegeben.

Word by Word

• कर्मनिष्ठाः: steadfast in action/duty
• कर्मनिष्ठाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्म-निष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; कर्म + निष्ठ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभावप्रयोग)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोग; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (always)

• सृष्ट्यर्थम्: for the purpose of creation
• सृष्ट्यर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; सृष्टि + अर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनवाचक (purpose)

• सततोद्यताः: constantly ready/engaged
• सततोद्यताः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सतत-उद्यत (प्रातिपदिक; सतत + उद्यत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• निर्व्यापारः: inactive, without activity
• निर्व्यापारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-व्यापार (प्रातिपदिक; निर् + व्यापार)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विष्णुभक्तः: devotee of Viṣṇu
• विष्णुभक्तः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष्णु-भक्त (प्रातिपदिक; विष्णु + भक्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• एकान्तब्रह्मसेवकः: exclusive servant of Brahman
• एकान्तब्रह्मसेवकः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकान्त-ब्रह्म-सेवक (प्रातिपदिक; एकान्त + ब्रह्म + सेवक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Brahmā (addressing Nārada)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nārada

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of sages engaged in ritual and creative duties, contrasted with one serene sage seated apart, absorbed in Viṣṇu-bhakti and Brahman contemplation, with a subtle Viṣṇu emblem (śaṅkha-cakra) in the aura.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Nārada
• Viṣṇu
• Brahman
• Mind-born sages

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma accommodates both active service (karma) and one-pointed devotion/realization (bhakti-jñāna); both can be sacred when aligned to the Highest.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified here; the verse highlights the saintly qualification of the listener within the māhātmya narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse commends devotion to Viṣṇu and exclusive Brahman-service as a spiritual orientation.