Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

अथ वा नैष दोषस्ते न कामवशगा नराः । लज्जंति च विजानंति कृत्याकृत्यं शुभाशुभम्

Transliteration

atha vā naiṣa doṣaste na kāmavaśagā narāḥ | lajjaṃti ca vijānaṃti kṛtyākṛtyaṃ śubhāśubham

Translation

Ou peut-être n’est-ce pas ta faute : ceux que le désir ne gouverne pas éprouvent la honte et discernent ce qu’il faut faire et ce qu’il ne faut pas—l’auspicieux et le néfaste.

Word by Word

• atha: now; alternatively
• atha: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रसङ्गबोधक अव्यय (now/then)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (or)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• eṣaḥ: this
• eṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; निर्देशार्थक सर्वनाम

• doṣaḥ: fault
• doṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: doṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• te: your
• te: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• kāmavaśagāḥ: subjugated by desire
• kāmavaśagāḥ: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāma-vaśa-ga (kāma + vaśa + ga प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (कर्मधारय/उपपद-तत्पुरुषभाव: ‘कामस्य वशे गत’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (narāḥ)

• narāḥ: men, people
• narāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• lajjanti: feel ashamed
• lajjanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: lajj (लज्ज् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• vijānanti: understand, discern
• vijānanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√jñā (ज्ञा धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• kṛtyākṛtyam: what should be done and what should not be done
• kṛtyākṛtyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛtya + akṛtya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समाहार-द्वन्द्वभाव)

• śubhāśubham: good and bad
• śubhāśubham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śubha + aśubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समाहार)

Speaker

Unspecified (contextual speaker within Nāgara-khaṇḍa Tīrtha-māhātmya dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative teaching moment: the speaker softens from accusation to diagnosis—desire clouds judgment; a calm figure embodies restraint while the tempted person appears confused.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Freedom from desire supports viveka (discernment): such a person recognizes right and wrong and naturally feels moral shame when crossing dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is named in this verse; it provides the ethical framework often paired with tīrtha-merit narratives.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse emphasizes inner discipline rather than an external rite.