Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

मध्यमाः स्वर्गमार्गं च दिव्यान्भोगान्मनोरमान् । अप्सरोभिः समं क्रीडां यज्ञाद्यैः कर्मभिः कृताम्

Transliteration

madhyamāḥ svargamārgaṃ ca divyānbhogānmanoramān | apsarobhiḥ samaṃ krīḍāṃ yajñādyaiḥ karmabhiḥ kṛtām

Translation

Les êtres de condition moyenne recherchent la voie du ciel et les délices divins, charmants à l’esprit—se divertissant en compagnie des Apsarās—acquis par des rites tels que les sacrifices et autres actes rituels.

Word by Word

• मध्यमाः: the middling (people)
• मध्यमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (विशेष्य-लोपे)

• स्वर्ग-मार्गम्: the path to heaven
• स्वर्ग-मार्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'स्वर्गस्य मार्गः'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Avyaya (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• दिव्यान्: divine
• दिव्यान्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (भोगान् इति)

• भोगान्: enjoyments; pleasures
• भोगान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• मनोरमान्: delightful
• मनोरमान्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोरम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (भोगान् इति)

• अप्सरोभिः: with apsarases
• अप्सरोभिः: Sahakari/Instrument (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• समम्: together
• समम्: Sambandha/Avyaya (association)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: together/with)

• क्रीडाम्: play; sport
• क्रीडाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रीडा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यज्ञ-आद्यैः: by sacrifices and the like
• यज्ञ-आद्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थ-न (not avyaya): 'यज्ञादयः' इति बहुव्रीह्यर्थे न, किन्तु 'यज्ञ-आदि' कर्माणि—तैः; 'आदि' = 'etc.'

• कर्मभिः: by deeds; rites
• कर्मभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कृताम्: done; performed
• कृताम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (क्रीडाम् इति)

Speaker

Ṛṣayaḥ (continuing their statement/contextual framing)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritualist performs yajña with blazing fire and offerings; above, a vision of svarga unfolds—celestial gardens, jeweled pavilions, and apsarases dancing—depicting the madhyama’s desired fruit as wondrous yet sensuous.

Characters & Entities

• Svarga
• Apsaras
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual merit (karma) can lead to svarga and refined pleasures, yet it is a middling aim compared to liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions as a general teaching within the chapter’s sacred-geography narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Yajña and related ritual actions (yajñādyaiḥ karmabhiḥ) are indicated as the means to attain heavenly results.