Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

चंदनस्य परित्यागाद्गांधर्वं लोकमश्नुते । कर्पूरस्य परित्यागाद्यावज्जीवं महाधनी

Transliteration

caṃdanasya parityāgādgāṃdharvaṃ lokamaśnute | karpūrasya parityāgādyāvajjīvaṃ mahādhanī

Translation

En renonçant au santal (candana), on atteint le monde des Gandharvas. En renonçant au camphre (karpūra), on devient immensément riche tout au long de la vie.

Word by Word

• चन्दनस्य: of sandalwood
• चन्दनस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठीविभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• परित्यागात्: from renunciation/abstaining
• परित्यागात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परि-त्याग (प्रातिपदिक; त्यज्-धातुजन्य भावनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमीविभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• गान्धर्वम्: Gandharva (celestial)
• गान्धर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गान्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (लोकम् इति)

• लोकम्: world
• लोकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अश्नुते: attains
• अश्नुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• कर्पूरस्य: of camphor
• कर्पूरस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्पूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठीविभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• परित्यागात्: from renunciation/abstaining
• परित्यागात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परि-त्याग (प्रातिपदिक; त्यज्-धातुजन्य भावनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमीविभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• यावत्-जीवम्: for (one’s) whole life
• यावत्-जीवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + जीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययार्थे (adverbial) ‘जीवम्’ द्वितीया-एकवचन रूपं; अर्थः—यावज्जीवम् (as long as one lives)

• महाधनी: very wealthy
• महाधनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (उपसर्गवत्/प्रातिपदिक) + धनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (अध्याहृतः ‘सः/मनुष्यः’)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya didactic narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee at a shrine declines sandal paste and camphor for self-use; celestial Gandharvas appear faintly above as a promised destination; a treasury motif symbolizes lifelong wealth.

Characters & Entities

• Gandharva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Renouncing luxury-fragrances as a vow transforms desire into merit, yielding exalted realms and prosperity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse emphasizes vow-fruit (phala) rather than naming a particular pilgrimage site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Austerity through abstaining from sandalwood and camphor (commonly used for adornment and worship).