Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

यजनं याजनं दानं व्रतं नियम एव च । तीर्थयात्रां नरास्तत्र निष्कामा एव कुर्वते

Transliteration

yajanaṃ yājanaṃ dānaṃ vrataṃ niyama eva ca | tīrthayātrāṃ narāstatra niṣkāmā eva kurvate

Translation

Dort vollziehen die Menschen das Opfer und leiten Opferhandlungen, spenden Gaben, halten Gelübde und Disziplinen ein und unternehmen Pilgerfahrten zu den Tīrthas—und all dies tun sie ohne eigennütziges Verlangen.

Word by Word

• यजनम्: sacrificing (performing yajña)
• यजनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• याजनम्: causing others to sacrifice (officiating)
• याजनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• दानम्: giving, charity
• दानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• व्रतम्: vow, observance
• व्रतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• नियमः: rule, restraint
• नियमः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); (कर्मपदत्वेन)

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Niyamaka (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तीर्थयात्राम्: pilgrimage to sacred places
• तीर्थयात्राम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ-यात्रा (प्रातिपदिक; components: तीर्थ + यात्रा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• नराः: men/people
• नराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• निष्कामाः: desireless, without selfish motive
• निष्कामाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम्—नराः

• एव: indeed
• एव: Niyamaka (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• कुर्वते: do/perform
• कुर्वते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural); आत्मनेपदम्

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative voice within Nāgarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Indra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims and householders perform yajña with calm faces, offer dāna, observe vrata, and set out on tīrtha-yātrā carrying water pots and staffs—no ostentation, only devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Tīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The highest merit of ritual and pilgrimage is achieved when acts are performed as niṣkāma karma—without personal craving, as dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse praises tīrtha-yātrā in the sacred region described in Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya; it does not name a single site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Yajana, yājana, dāna, vrata, niyama, and tīrtha-yātrā are explicitly mentioned as the principal dharmic practices.