Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

विवेकादिगुणैर्युक्तः स शूद्रो याति सद्गतिम् । ब्रह्मचर्यं तपो नान्यद्द्वादशाक्षरचिंतनात् १

Transliteration

vivekādiguṇairyuktaḥ sa śūdro yāti sadgatim | brahmacaryaṃ tapo nānyaddvādaśākṣaraciṃtanāt 1

Translation

Mit Unterscheidungskraft (viveka) und anderen Tugenden ausgestattet, gelangt selbst ein Śūdra zu einem guten Ziel. Für ihn gibt es keine höhere Askese als Brahmacarya und die Betrachtung des zwölfsilbigen Mantras.

Word by Word

• विवेकादिगुणैः: with qualities like discernment
• विवेकादिगुणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवेक + आदि + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); तत्पुरुष-समास (vivekādi-guṇa = qualities such as discernment)

• युक्तः: endowed; joined with
• युक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) + क्त → युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying स शूद्रः)

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

• शूद्रः: a Śūdra
• शूद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• याति: goes; attains
• याति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• सद्गतिम्: good state/destination
• सद्गतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् + गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय-समास (sad-gati = good destination)

• ब्रह्मचर्यम्: brahmacarya (celibate discipline)
• ब्रह्मचर्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म + चर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष-समास (brahma-carya = celibate discipline)

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अन्यत्: anything else
• अन्यत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• द्वादशाक्षरचिन्तनात्: than contemplation of the twelve-syllable mantra
• द्वादशाक्षरचिन्तनात्: Apadana (Source/Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादश + अक्षर + चिन्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष-समास (dvādaśākṣara-cintana = contemplation of the twelve-syllable (mantra))

Speaker

Gālava (continuing dharma instruction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A humble devotee of Śūdra status, serene and disciplined, sits in contemplation (japa/smaraṇa) with a rosary; a subtle aura suggests inner purity surpassing social labels; a teacherly presence indicates transmission of dharma.

Characters & Entities

• viveka
• śūdra
• sadgati
• brahmacarya
• dvādaśākṣara (twelve-syllable mantra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual attainment is grounded in virtue (viveka), discipline (brahmacarya), and mantra contemplation—open to all who practice sincerely.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse emphasizes inner sādhana within the chapter’s devotional framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Practice brahmacarya and contemplate/japa the dvādaśākṣara (twelve-syllable) mantra.