Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

शुक्र उवाच । न गतिर्विद्यते तत्र तव दानवसत्तम । तस्मात्त्रैलोक्यराज्येन संतोषं कर्तुम र्हसि

Transliteration

śukra uvāca | na gatirvidyate tatra tava dānavasattama | tasmāttrailokyarājyena saṃtoṣaṃ kartuma rhasi

Translation

Śukra said: “There is no passage for you there, O best among the Dānavas. Therefore be content with sovereignty over the three worlds.”

Word by Word

• शुक्रः: Śukra
• शुक्रः: Karta (Speaker)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• गतिः: a way/means
• गतिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन

• विद्यते: exists/is found
• विद्यते: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु; ‘विद्यते’ = अस्ति-अर्थे)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Deśa (Locative adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय

• तव: for you/of you
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति; एकवचन

• दानवसत्तम: O best of the Dānavas
• दानवसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव-सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; दानव + सत्तम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन विभक्ति; एकवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Discourse connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तस्मात् (अव्यय/तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: अव्ययीभावप्राय; हेत्वर्थक/तस्मात् (connector: “therefore/from that”)

• त्रैलोक्यराज्येन: with/by the sovereignty of the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्यराज्येन: Karaṇa/Hetu (Means/Reason)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रैलोक्य-राज्य (प्रातिपदिक; त्रैलोक्य + राज्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; एकवचन

• संतोषम्: contentment
• संतोषम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संतोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन

• कर्तुम्: to make/do
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कर्तुम् (तुमुन्)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive)

• अर्हसि: you ought/are fit
• अर्हसि: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Śukra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: brāhmaṇas/ṛṣis (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śukra raises a calming hand in refusal, his face compassionate yet firm; Vṛtra’s posture stiffens, ministers watch. The celestial Brahmaloka glow fades in the background, emphasizing denial.

Characters & Entities

• Śukra
• Vṛtra
• Brahmaloka
• Trailokya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Contentment is a safeguard against destructive ambition; cosmic eligibility limits are not crossed by mere power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse concerns Brahmaloka as a higher realm and the ethic of saṃtoṣa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is counsel (nīti) rather than ritual instruction.