Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

ममतारूपिणीं ग्राहीं दुष्टां निर्भर्त्स्य निग्रहेत् । तप एव सदा पुंसां चातुर्मास्येऽधिगौरवम्

Transliteration

mamatārūpiṇīṃ grāhīṃ duṣṭāṃ nirbhartsya nigrahet | tapa eva sadā puṃsāṃ cāturmāsye'dhigauravam

Translation

Il faut réprimander et contenir la funeste « saisisseuse » qui prend la forme de mamatā, l’attachement du « mien ». L’austérité (tapas) seule est à jamais le véritable appui des hommes, et durant la saison de Cāturmāsya elle reçoit un poids et une excellence particuliers.

Word by Word

• mamatārūpiṇīm: having the form of possessiveness (‘mine-ness’)
• mamatārūpiṇīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mamatā + rūpinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (having the form of ‘mine-ness’)

• grāhīm: the grasping one; crocodile (metaphorically)
• grāhīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grāhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• duṣṭām: wicked
• duṣṭām: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of grāhīm)

• nirbhartsya: having rebuked
• nirbhartsya: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nir + √bharts (भर्त्स्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): ‘having rebuked’

• nigrahet: should restrain, should subdue
• nigrahet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni + √grah (ग्रह्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• eva: alone, indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• puṃsām: of men, of people
• puṃsām: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṃs (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), बहुवचन

• cāturmāsye: in Cāturmāsya
• cāturmāsye: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cāturmāsya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• adhigauravam: greater importance/weight
• adhigauravam: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhi + gaurava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव (excess/superior weightiness)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya didactic context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-ascetic confronts a shadowy crocodile-like figure labeled ‘mamatā’ emerging from a river of attachment; the ascetic raises a staff of tapas, while a calendar-like motif marks Cāturmāsya clouds and monsoon.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Restrain possessiveness (‘mine-ness’) and strengthen tapas, especially during Cāturmāsya, to purify conduct and intention.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse functions as general Cāturmāsya-dharma instruction within the Tīrthamāhātmya setting; it does not name a particular tīrtha in the line itself.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The prescription is tapas (austerity/discipline) with heightened emphasis in Cāturmāsya—implying vows, restraint, and regulated living.