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Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 2

किं कुलीनैर्गुणाढ्यैर्वा तेजोविद्याविचक्षणैः । त्रिजातोऽपि वरं सोऽपि स्वं स्थानं येन चोद्धृतम्

kiṃ kulīnairguṇāḍhyairvā tejovidyāvicakṣaṇaiḥ | trijāto'pi varaṃ so'pi svaṃ sthānaṃ yena coddhṛtam

Qu’importe des hommes de haute naissance, ou riches en vertus, ou experts en éclat et en science ? Même Trijāta est le meilleur, car par lui son propre lieu fut relevé et rétabli.

kimwhat (use)
kim:
Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootkim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; प्रश्नार्थक-निपात (interrogative particle: ‘what use...?’)
kulīnaiḥby the well-born (people)
kulīnaiḥ:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootkulīna (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन
guṇāḍhyaiḥrich in virtues
guṇāḍhyaiḥ:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootguṇa + āḍhya (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गुणैः आढ्यः) kulīnaiḥ-विशेषणम्
or
:
Vikalpa (Alternative/विकल्प)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootvā (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; विकल्प (disjunctive particle ‘or’)
tejo-vidyā-vicakṣaṇaiḥskilled in brilliance and learning
tejo-vidyā-vicakṣaṇaiḥ:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roottejas + vidyā + vicakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक-त्रय)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वः (तेजः च विद्या च) + तत्पुरुष-आश्रित विशेषण (तयोः विचक्षणः) kulīnaiḥ-समुच्चित-विशेषणम्
trijātaḥthe twice/thrice-born man
trijātaḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottri + jāta (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः; (here used substantively)
apieven, also
api:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अपि (concessive/also)
varambetter (rather)
varam:
Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootvara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; ‘वरम्’ (better/rather) क्रियाविशेषण
saḥhe
saḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
apialso
api:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अपि (also)
svamhis own
svam:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootsva (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; स्व-शब्द; sthānam-विशेषणम्
sthānamplace, position
sthānam:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootsthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन
yenaby whom/whereby
yena:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-येन (relative pronoun)
caand
ca:
Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय (and)
uddhṛtamwas lifted up, was restored
uddhṛtam:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeVerb
Rootud + √hṛ (धातु)
Formकृदन्त; भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘उद्धृतम्’ (raised/rescued)

Inquirer (unnamed in snippet; continuing the question to the narrator)

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (implied)

Type: kshetra

Scene: Trijāta, modest yet radiant, leads restoration—clearing a sacred path, repairing a shrine or tank embankment—while learned elites look on, humbled by his merit.

T
Trijāta

FAQs

True excellence is measured by dharmic action—especially service that restores and protects a sacred place—rather than by mere birth or reputation.

The discourse continues within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra māhātmya of Nāgarakhaṇḍa.

None directly; it praises the act of uplifting/restoring the sacred locale.