Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

यथा सरस्वतीं मर्त्या न स्पृशंति कथंचन । भवद्भिः सर्वथा कार्यं तथा पन्नगसत्तमाः

Transliteration

yathā sarasvatīṃ martyā na spṛśaṃti kathaṃcana | bhavadbhiḥ sarvathā kāryaṃ tathā pannagasattamāḥ

Translation

„Damit die Sterblichen Sarasvatī auf keinerlei Weise berühren können, sorgt dafür mit allen Mitteln, o Beste der Schlangen.“

Word by Word

• यथा: so that/as
• यथा: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (as/so that)

• सरस्वतीम्: Sarasvatī
• सरस्वतीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मर्त्याः: mortals
• मर्त्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

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

• स्पृशन्ति: touch
• स्पृशन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• कथंचन: in any way at all
• कथंचन: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक/न्यूनार्थक (in any way/at all)

• भवद्भिः: by you (respected)
• भवद्भिः: Karana (Agentive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; आदरार्थे ‘भवत्’

• सर्वथा: in every way
• सर्वथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (in every way)

• कार्यम्: (this) must be done
• कार्यम्: Kriya-phala (Obligation/कार्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत्/ण्यत्-प्रत्यय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कृदन्तः—‘that which is to be done’ (duty)

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनुरूपार्थक (thus/in that manner)

• पन्नगसत्तमाः: O best of serpents
• पन्नगसत्तमाः: Sambodhana/Address (Vocative sense/सम्बोधनार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पन्नग (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘best among serpents’)

Speaker

Brahmā (addressing the serpent guardians)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gupta-Sarasvatī Mahāhrada

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pannaga-sattamāḥ (best of serpents)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A protective ring of nāgas encircles the lake, their hoods raised as a living boundary; Sarasvatī’s presence is sensed as light over the waters, while mortals remain at a respectful distance.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Sarasvatī
• Mortals (martyāḥ)
• Nāgas/Serpents (pannagāḥ)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Holiness is maintained by boundaries; reverence requires restraint and protection of sanctified presences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The guarded Sarasvatī presence at Mahāhrada within the Citraśilā tīrtha setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A protective injunction: ensure mortals do not physically touch Sarasvatī (preserving sanctity).