Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 84

Devanagari script

न ह्यत्र कारणं स्वल्पं भविष्यति द्विजोत्तम

Transliteration

na hyatra kāraṇaṃ svalpaṃ bhaviṣyati dvijottama

Translation

Assurément, ô meilleur des deux-fois-nés, la cause de ceci ne sera point mince.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक निपात (negation particle)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ निपात (emphatic/indeed)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb: here)

• कारणम्: cause/reason
• कारणम्: Karta/Viśeṣya (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• स्वल्पम्: small
• स्वल्पम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying कारणम्)

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple future); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• द्विजोत्तम: O best of the twice-born (brāhmaṇa)
• द्विजोत्तम: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (द्विजेषु उत्तमः)

Speaker

King (Rājā) (continuation from 83)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Best of brāhmaṇas (sage)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sage, composed and authoritative, reassures that the reason is great; the king leans forward attentively; the scene feels like a threshold before a major legend.

Characters & Entities

• Dvijottama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual distinctions in Purāṇic narratives are portrayed as grounded in substantial causes—past deeds, vows, lineage-dharma, or divine ordinance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is named; the line functions as a transition in the dialogue within the Tīrthamāhātmya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it emphasizes that the forthcoming explanation has significant dharmic weight.