Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

आसीत्पैजवनः शूद्रः पुरा त्रेतायुगे किल । स्वधर्मनिरतः ख्यातो विष्णुब्राह्मणपूजकः

Transliteration

āsītpaijavanaḥ śūdraḥ purā tretāyuge kila | svadharmanirataḥ khyāto viṣṇubrāhmaṇapūjakaḥ

Translation

In alter Zeit, im Tretā-Yuga, lebte wahrlich ein Śūdra namens Paijavana, berühmt für seine Hingabe an die eigene Pflicht und dafür, Viṣṇu zu verehren und die Brāhmaṇas zu ehren.

Word by Word

• āsīt: there was
• āsīt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• paijavanaḥ: Paijavana
• paijavanaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paijavana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता

• śūdraḥ: a Śūdra
• śūdraḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūdra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेष्य-निर्देश (apposition)

• purā: formerly
• purā: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• tretāyuge: in the Tretā age
• tretāyuge: Adhikarana (Time-location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tretā-yuga (प्रातिपदिक; त्रेता + युग)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण (time-locative)

• kila: indeed; it is said
• kila: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kila (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नूनम्/श्रुत्यर्थक-निपात (hearsay/emphasis particle)

• svadharmanirataḥ: devoted to his own duty
• svadharmanirataḥ: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva-dharma-nirata (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + धर्म + निरत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying paijavanaḥ)

• khyātaḥ: was renowned
• khyātaḥ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: khyā (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृतान्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि/विशेषण (past passive participle used predicatively)

• viṣṇubrāhmaṇapūjakaḥ: a worshipper of Viṣṇu and of Brahmins
• viṣṇubrāhmaṇapūjakaḥ: Karta (Predicate noun/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu-brāhmaṇa-pūjaka (प्रातिपदिक; विष्णु + ब्राह्मण + पूजक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक-नाम (agent noun)

Speaker

Brahmā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A humble yet dignified Śūdra householder Paijavana in Tretā-yuga attire offers flowers and tulasī to Viṣṇu, while respectfully serving brāhmaṇas with water and seats; a calm domestic shrine scene.

Characters & Entities

• Paijavana
• Tretā Yuga
• Viṣṇu
• brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steadiness in svadharma combined with Viṣṇu-bhakti and honoring brāhmaṇas is portrayed as a powerful path of merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The account is situated within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya framework (Nāgara Khaṇḍa), though this verse itself emphasizes the exemplar’s virtues.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship of Viṣṇu and respectful service/adoration of brāhmaṇas are indicated as virtuous practices.