Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

तथा कीर्तिकृतां लोके कीर्तनं क्रियते नरैः । ततः संपश्यतां चास्य कीर्तिर्नास्य तु दुर्मतेः

Transliteration

tathā kīrtikṛtāṃ loke kīrtanaṃ kriyate naraiḥ | tataḥ saṃpaśyatāṃ cāsya kīrtirnāsya tu durmateḥ

Translation

So preisen die Menschen in der Welt jene, die wahre Ehre schaffen; doch selbst wenn alle es sehen, wird dieser übelgesinnte Mann keinen bleibenden Ruhm haben.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, likewise
• तथा: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/तुल्य-निर्देशक (adverb: ‘thus/so’)

• कीर्तिकृताम्: of the fame-makers (those who create fame)
• कीर्तिकृताम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीर्ति + कृत (कृ धातु; क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle used as noun); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कीर्तिं कृतवन्तः)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• कीर्तनम्: praise, proclamation
• कीर्तनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीर्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• क्रियते: is done, is performed
• क्रियते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• नरैः: by men
• नरैः: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• ततः: therefore, from that
• ततः: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Source/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/कारणार्थ (ablatival adverb: ‘therefore/from that’)

• संपश्यताम्: you all observe/see
• संपश्यताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + पश्य (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; आज्ञार्थे/अनुज्ञार्थे (imperative-like usage: ‘you all see’)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• अस्य: of this man, of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-शब्द

• कीर्तिः: fame
• कीर्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-शब्द

• तु: but
• तु: Vyatireka (Contrast/व्यतिरेक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेष-निपात (adversative particle: ‘but/however’)

• दुर्मतेः: of the evil-minded one
• दुर्मतेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर् + मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (दुर्मतिः = दुष्टा मतिः यस्य)

Speaker

Brāhmaṇas (Dvijas)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Townfolk speak of ‘true fame’ while the ill-minded patron stands apart; the unfinished shrine and whispering crowd show that public acclaim cannot stabilize inner failure.

Characters & Entities

• Nara (people)
• Kīrti (fame/renown)
• Durmati (ill-minded person)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True fame is portrayed as dharma-born; without virtue, public visibility does not become lasting kīrti.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; the verse focuses on moral consequence within the chapter’s narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a moral assertion about fame and merit.