Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

सत्कीर्त्या राजते लोकश्चंद्रश्चंद्रिकया न्यथा । गजाश्वहेमनिचयं रत्नराशिं नगोपमम्

Transliteration

satkīrtyā rājate lokaścaṃdraścaṃdrikayā nyathā | gajāśvahemanicayaṃ ratnarāśiṃ nagopamam

Translation

Par la noble renommée le monde resplendit, comme la lune resplendit par sa clarté. Non par des amas d’éléphants et de chevaux, ni par des réserves d’or, ni par une montagne de joyaux.

Word by Word

• सत्कीर्त्या: by good fame
• सत्कीर्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + कीर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (सत्कीर्तिः = good fame)

• राजते: shines
• राजते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: राज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• लोकः: the world
• लोकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (and)

• चन्द्रः: the moon
• चन्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (and)

• चन्द्रिकया: by moonlight
• चन्द्रिकया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्रिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparator/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (comparative: as/just as)

• गज-अश्व-हेम-निचयम्: a collection of elephants, horses, and gold
• गज-अश्व-हेम-निचयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक) + अश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + हेम (प्रातिपदिक) + निचय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (gajas + aśvas + hema as a collection)

• रत्न-राशिम्: heap of jewels
• रत्न-राशिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + राशि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रत्नानां राशिः = heap of jewels)

• नग-उपमम्: mountain-like
• नग-उपमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नग (प्रातिपदिक) + उपम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; उपमान-तत्पुरुष (नग इव उपमम् = like a mountain); विशेषण (रत्नराशिम्/निचयम्)

Speaker

Unspecified (didactic instruction within Brahmottara Khaṇḍa narrative)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous full moon spreads moonlight over the earth; below, piles of gold, jewels, elephants, and horses appear dull and shadowed, while a subtle radiant aura labeled satkīrti illuminates people and cities.

Characters & Entities

• Candra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Satkīrti (dharma-based renown) is what truly makes one radiant; material power and treasure are secondary.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; this is a moral analogy rather than a pilgrimage-description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it recommends valuing dharmic reputation above displays of wealth.