Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

तस्मात्स सर्वदा त्याज्यः सुप्ते देवे विशेषतः । अनीहया जितक्रोधो जितलोभो भवेन्नरः

Transliteration

tasmātsa sarvadā tyājyaḥ supte deve viśeṣataḥ | anīhayā jitakrodho jitalobho bhavennaraḥ

Translation

C’est pourquoi il faut l’abandonner en tout temps, surtout lorsque le Seigneur demeure dans son sommeil divin (durant Cāturmāsya). Sans agitation ni quête fébrile, l’homme doit devenir vainqueur de la colère et vainqueur de l’avidité.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ-पञ्चमी (therefore/from that reason)

• सः: he/that (ego)
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• त्याज्यः: to be abandoned
• त्याज्यः: Pratipadyam (Predicate/प्रत्यय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्याज्य (प्रातिपदिक; √त्यज् (धातु) + यत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषणम् (gerundive: ‘to be abandoned’)

• सुप्ते: when asleep
• सुप्ते: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुप्त (प्रातिपदिक; √स्वप् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; ‘when (he) is asleep’ (locative absolute with देवे)

• देवे: when the god (is)
• देवे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; सप्तमी-सम्बन्धः (locative absolute with सुप्ते)

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Sambandha (Modifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: especially)

• अनीहया: by non-striving
• अनीहया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-नीहा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; साधन-तृतीया (by non-striving/effortlessness)

• जितक्रोधः: having conquered anger
• जितक्रोधः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित-क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक; √जि (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (क्रोधः जितः येन)

• जितलोभः: having conquered greed
• जितलोभः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित-लोभ (प्रातिपदिक; √जि (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (लोभः जितः येन)

• भवेत्: should become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

Speaker

Brahmā (in Brahmā–Nārada dialogue; inferred from chapter colophon context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu reclining on Śeṣa in yoganidrā (Cāturmāsya), while a pilgrim/sādhaka nearby practices restraint—hands folded, offering simple lamp and water, with symbols of anger/greed (red/black flames) subdued.

Characters & Entities

• Deva (Hari/Viṣṇu implied by 'supte deve')
• Cāturmāsya (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

During Cāturmāsya one should abandon harmful impulses and cultivate non-agitation, mastering anger and greed as core vrata-dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The wider context is the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya within Nāgara-khaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya, where Cāturmāsya observances are praised.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A vrata-style prescription: practice anīhā (non-restless striving) and cultivate victory over krodha (anger) and lobha (greed), especially in the Cāturmāsya period.