Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

विष्णुभक्तिरतैश्चैव वेदमन्त्रविपाठकैः । सततं दानशीलैश्च दीनार्तजनवत्सलैः

Transliteration

viṣṇubhaktirataiścaiva vedamantravipāṭhakaiḥ | satataṃ dānaśīlaiśca dīnārtajanavatsalaiḥ

Translation

Qu’ils soient voués à la bhakti envers Viṣṇu, appliqués à la récitation des mantras védiques, toujours portés à la charité, et pleins de compassion pour les pauvres et les affligés.

Word by Word

• विष्णु-भक्ति-रतैः: by those devoted to Viṣṇu-bhakti
• विष्णु-भक्ति-रतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + रत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; विशेषण—‘रत’ (attached) to implied persons

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

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• वेद-मन्त्र-विपाठकैः: by reciters of Vedic mantras
• वेद-मन्त्र-विपाठकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + विपाठक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; ‘विपाठक’ = reciter/chanter

• सततम्: constantly
• सततम्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्ययीभूतम् (adverb)

• दान-शीलैः: by those of charitable disposition
• दान-शीलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक) + शील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; विशेषण—‘शील’ = having the habit/nature

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

• दीन-आर्त-जन-वत्सलैः: by those affectionate to the poor and distressed people
• दीन-आर्त-जन-वत्सलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीन (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (प्रातिपदिक) + जन (प्रातिपदिक) + वत्सल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; विशेषण—‘वत्सल’ = affectionate toward

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-householder offers tulasī and lamp to Viṣṇu, recites from a manuscript, then distributes food and cloth to the poor and tends to an afflicted traveler near a dharmaśālā.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Bhakti and mantra-practice must express themselves as generosity and compassion toward suffering beings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse describes virtues promoted within the Tīrthamāhātmya section.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vedic mantra recitation, devotion to Viṣṇu, and continual charity—especially to the needy and afflicted.