Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

गोविन्दे सततं भक्तिस्तथा दाने प्रवर्तते । धर्मार्थकाम कार्येषु सप्रभावं मनस्तव

Transliteration

govinde satataṃ bhaktistathā dāne pravartate | dharmārthakāma kāryeṣu saprabhāvaṃ manastava

Translation

Gibt es in dir beständige Hingabe an Govinda und ebenso einen fortdauernden Antrieb zum Spenden? In den Werken von Dharma, Artha und Kāma möge dein Geist mit guter Kraft und rechter Wirksamkeit ausgestattet sein.

Word by Word

• गोविन्दे: in Govinda (Viṣṇu)
• गोविन्दे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• सततम्: always
• सततम्: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सततम् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: 'always')

• भक्तिः: devotion
• भक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तथा: likewise, also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/तुल्यतार्थक-अव्यय (adverb: 'likewise/also')

• दाने: in giving/charity
• दाने: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• प्रवर्तते: is engaged, proceeds
• प्रवर्तते: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• धर्मार्थकाम: dharma, wealth, and desire
• धर्मार्थकाम: Sambandha (Topic/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + अर्थ + काम (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचनार्थे समाहार-प्रयोगः; त्रयाणां समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (dharma, artha, kāma)

• कार्येषु: in actions, in duties
• कार्येषु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• सप्रभावम्: effective, powerful
• सप्रभावम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः/सह-समासार्थः (प्रभावेन सह = endowed with power/effect) विशेषण (agreeing with 'मनः')

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

Speaker

Gālava (deduced from nearby verses)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sage invokes Govinda’s name while advising on dāna; a subtle vision of Viṣṇu (or a small shrine) may appear behind, indicating the devotional focus.

Characters & Entities

• Govinda
• Dharma
• Artha
• Kāma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion to Govinda and habitual charity are key signs of a dharmic life, harmonizing worldly aims under righteousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse praises devotional and charitable conduct within a tīrtha-context, but does not name a particular site in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna (charitable giving) is explicitly commended alongside continuous bhakti.