Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

नारायणमिदं कर्म यः करोति न लिप्यते । शतत्रयं षष्टियुतं दिनमाहुश्च वत्सरे

Transliteration

nārāyaṇamidaṃ karma yaḥ karoti na lipyate | śatatrayaṃ ṣaṣṭiyutaṃ dinamāhuśca vatsare

Translation

This practice is dedicated to Nārāyaṇa; whoever performs it is not tainted by sin. And they say that a year consists of three hundred and sixty days.

Word by Word

• नारायणम्: Nārāyaṇa (Vishnu)
• नारायणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; object of reference (accusative)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying) कर्म

• कर्म: rite, act
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• करोति: does, performs
• करोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• लिप्यते: is tainted/affected
• लिप्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• शतत्रयम्: three hundred
• शतत्रयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (संख्यापूर्वक)

• षष्टियुतम्: joined with sixty (i.e., +60)
• षष्टियुतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष्टि + युत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; युज्/युत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (added with sixty)

• दिनम्: days
• दिनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आहुः: they say
• आहुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/ब्रू (धातु; आहुः-रूप)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

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

• वत्सरे: in a year
• वत्सरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee making saṅkalpa before a Nārāyaṇa icon, holding water in the palm; beside him a pañcāṅga/leaf manuscript indicating time-count; the atmosphere is orderly and pure.

Characters & Entities

• Nārāyaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Acts consecrated to Nārāyaṇa purify the doer; dedication transforms karma into a non-binding spiritual practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it frames the practice as Nārāyaṇa-centered within a māhātmya chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform the stated observance as a Nārāyaṇa-karma (Nārāyaṇa-dedicated act); the verse also notes the 360-day count used for calendrical framing.