Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

आत्मनश्च पराभूतिं तस्माद्विप्रात्सहेत वै । य इच्छेद्वसतिं स्वर्गे शाश्वतीं द्विजसत्तम

Transliteration

ātmanaśca parābhūtiṃ tasmādviprātsaheta vai | ya icchedvasatiṃ svarge śāśvatīṃ dvijasattama

Translation

Therefore one should endure even one’s own humiliation at the hands of a brāhmaṇa, O best of brāhmaṇas, if one desires an everlasting dwelling in heaven.

Word by Word

• आत्मनः: of oneself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha-bodhaka (Connector/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction ‘and’)

• पराभूतिम्: defeat, humiliation
• पराभूतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराभूति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तस्मात्-प्रयोगः), हेतौ/अपादाने; ‘therefore/from that’

• विप्रात्: from a Brahmin
• विप्रात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन

• सहेत: should tolerate
• सहेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘should endure/tolerate’

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha-bodhaka (Connector/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

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

• इच्छेत्: should desire
• इच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वसतिम्: dwelling, residence
• वसतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• स्वर्गे: in heaven
• स्वर्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• शाश्वतीम्: eternal
• शाश्वतीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; qualifies ‘वसतिम्’

• द्विजसत्तम: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (द्विजानां सत्तमः); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

Speaker

Duḥśīla

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee/king absorbs humiliation with bowed head before a brāhmaṇa; above, a serene celestial realm is hinted, symbolizing the reward of forbearance.

Characters & Entities

• brāhmaṇa (vipra)
• svarga (heaven)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kṣamā (forbearance) and humility—especially in relation to spiritual authority—are presented as merit-bearing virtues leading to svarga.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse offers a general dharma principle within the tīrthamāhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it recommends an ethical discipline (endurance) rather than a formal ritual.