Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 67

Devanagari script

हेमंते वह्निदो यः स्यात्तथा ग्रीष्मे जलप्रदः । वर्षास्वाश्रयदो यश्च नरकं न स पश्यति

Transliteration

hemaṃte vahnido yaḥ syāttathā grīṣme jalapradaḥ | varṣāsvāśrayado yaśca narakaṃ na sa paśyati

Translation

Wer im Winter Feuer und Wärme spendet, in der Sommerhitze Wasser reicht und in der Regenzeit Zuflucht gewährt—der wird die Hölle nicht sehen.

Word by Word

• हेमन्ते: in winter
• हेमन्ते: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेमन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• वह्निदः: giver of fire
• वह्निदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + द (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (वह्निं ददाति इति = giver of fire)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• स्यात्: would be/is (as one who is)
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: likewise)

• ग्रीष्मे: in summer
• ग्रीष्मे: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रीष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जलप्रदः: giver of water
• जलप्रदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (जलं प्रददाति इति = giver of water)

• वर्षासु: in the rainy season(s)
• वर्षासु: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• आश्रयदः: giver of shelter
• आश्रयदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक) + द (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (आश्रयं ददाति इति = giver of shelter)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• नरकम्: hell
• नरकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पश्यति: sees
• पश्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Yama (contextual, continuing instruction in this passage)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: General audience (didactic address continues)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Three seasonal panels: in winter a benefactor tends a sacred fire for shivering travelers; in summer he offers cool water under a canopy; in monsoon he opens a shelter as rain pours—Yama’s messengers turn away.

Characters & Entities

• Yama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Compassionate, timely giving aligned with human need across seasons becomes powerful puṇya and removes fear of naraka.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named; the teaching supports tīrtha-dharma by encouraging acts that sustain pilgrims and communities.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Season-appropriate dāna: warmth in winter, water in summer, and shelter in the rains.