Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

एते पाल्याः प्रसादेन पुष्टिं नेयाश्च शक्तितः । ईर्ष्यां सर्वां परित्यज्य मदीयस्थानवृद्धये

Transliteration

ete pālyāḥ prasādena puṣṭiṃ neyāśca śaktitaḥ | īrṣyāṃ sarvāṃ parityajya madīyasthānavṛddhaye

Translation

«Prenez soin de ces hommes avec bienveillance et, selon votre pouvoir, conduisez-les vers la prospérité. Rejetant toute jalousie, agissez pour l’accroissement et l’épanouissement de ma demeure sacrée.»

Word by Word

• एते: these (persons)
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पाल्याः: to be protected/maintained
• पाल्याः: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicate qualifier/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाल्य (प्रातिपदिक; √पाल् धातोः यत्/ण्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त, ‘to be protected’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (एते)

• प्रसादेन: by (your) favor/grace
• प्रसादेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• पुष्टिम्: nourishment/prosperity
• पुष्टिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नेयाः: to be brought/led (to)
• नेयाः: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicate qualifier/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: णीयत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/future passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘to be led/brought’

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

• शक्तितः: according to (one’s) ability
• शक्तितः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘according to ability/from power’

• ईर्ष्याम्: jealousy
• ईर्ष्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईर्ष्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वाम्: all/entire
• सर्वाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (ईर्ष्याम्)

• परित्यज्य: having abandoned
• परित्यज्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) उपसर्ग-युक्त (परि+त्यज्): ‘having abandoned’

• मदीयस्थानवृद्धये: for the increase of my position/status
• मदीयस्थानवृद्धये: Sampradana (Purpose/Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मदीय-स्थान-वृद्धि (प्रातिपदिक; मदीय + स्थान + वृद्धि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मदीयस्य स्थानस्य वृद्धिः)

Speaker

King (rājā) addressing the brāhmaṇas (contextual; explicit speaker appears in surrounding verses)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Garttātīrtha / Camatkāpura (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A revered authority (king speaking on behalf of the kṣetra/deity) instructs caretakers to nourish a group with kindness, explicitly rejecting jealousy, pointing toward the temple/tīrtha precinct as the shared goal.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Sacred abode (sthāna)
• Garttātīrtha (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is strengthened when one protects worthy people, promotes their welfare, and abandons jealousy for the sake of sacred order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The passage belongs to the Garttātīrtha-centered Tīrthamāhātmya narrative in Nāgarakhaṇḍa (Adhyāya 126).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed; the instruction is ethical-dharmic: protection, support, and cooperation to increase the sanctity and prosperity of the sacred place.