Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । जरत्कारुरिति ख्यातो भविष्यति क्वचिद्द्विजः । स संतानकृते भार्यां भूमावन्वेषयिष्यति

Transliteration

brahmovāca | jaratkāruriti khyāto bhaviṣyati kvaciddvijaḥ | sa saṃtānakṛte bhāryāṃ bhūmāvanveṣayiṣyati

Translation

Brahmā sprach: „Irgendwo wird ein Zweimalgeborener erscheinen, berühmt unter dem Namen Jaratkāru. Um der Nachkommenschaft willen wird er auf Erden nach einer Gattin suchen.“

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• जरत्कारुः: Jaratkāru
• जरत्कारुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जरत्कारु (प्रातिपदिक; proper name)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• इति: thus (named)
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यादि-उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• ख्यातः: known, famed
• ख्यातः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ख्या (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying 'जरत्कारुः')

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• क्वचित्: at some time/ somewhere
• क्वचित्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/कालार्थक (indefinite adverb: 'somewhere/sometime')

• द्विजः: a Brāhmaṇa (twice-born)
• द्विजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• संतानकृते: for progeny, for continuation of lineage
• संतानकृते: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संतान-कृत (प्रातिपदिक; संतान + कृत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular); प्रयोजनार्थ (for the sake of)

• भार्याम्: a wife
• भार्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• भूमौ: on the earth
• भूमौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• अन्वेषयिष्यति: will search for
• अन्वेषयिष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-इष्/एष् (धातु: अन्वेष्)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

Speaker

Brahmā

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nāgas (collective petitioners)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā speaks a prophecy: a future dvija named Jaratkāru will arise and search the earth for a wife to secure offspring; the scene conveys calm certainty and unfolding destiny.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Jaratkāru (sage)
• Earth (bhūmi)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine providence arranges dharmic means—like marriage and progeny—to preserve threatened communities.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is named; the verse is prophetic narration within the Tīrtha-māhātmya chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, gṛhastha-dharma (marriage for progeny) is affirmed, but no specific rite is detailed.