Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 92

Devanagari script

निष्कामो वा नरो यस्तु श्राद्धं दानमथापि वा । प्रकरिष्यति मोक्षं स समवाप्स्यत्यसंशयम्

Transliteration

niṣkāmo vā naro yastu śrāddhaṃ dānamathāpi vā | prakariṣyati mokṣaṃ sa samavāpsyatyasaṃśayam

Translation

„Oder wenn ein Mensch wunschlos ist und hier das Śrāddha oder auch eine Gabe (dāna) vollzieht, wird er ohne Zweifel die Befreiung (mokṣa) erlangen.“

Word by Word

• निष्कामः: desireless
• निष्कामः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—नञ्/निषेध-तत्पुरुष (कामो न यस्य/कामरहितः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• वा: or
• वा: Samuccaya/Vikalpa (Disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (or)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Nipata (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोधार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• दानम्: gift/charity
• दानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अथ: and/then
• अथ: Nipata (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तर/समुच्चयार्थक (then/and)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Nipata (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थक (also/even)

• वा: or
• वा: Samuccaya/Vikalpa (Disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (or)

• प्रकरिष्यति: will perform
• प्रकरिष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• मोक्षम्: liberation
• मोक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• समवाप्स्यति: will surely attain
• समवाप्स्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अव + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• असंशयम्: without doubt
• असंशयम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अ + संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative: without doubt)

Speaker

Indra

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Āśrama-tīrtha (name not specified)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A calm, inward-turned pilgrim offers charity and performs śrāddha with serene detachment; the setting is simple—sacred water, a small altar, and quiet brāhmaṇas—emphasizing inner renunciation.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Śrāddha
• Dāna
• Mokṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Desireless performance of dharmic rites (niṣkāma karma) at a holy place is said to lead to mokṣa.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The same āśrama-tīrtha in Nāgara Khaṇḍa where Śrāddha and dāna are declared mokṣa-bestowing when done without desire.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform Śrāddha or dāna with niṣkāma (desireless) attitude to obtain liberation.