Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

निर्ममो निरहंकारो मम त्वं मानसः सुतः । क्रमान्मया तु तेषां वै वेदरक्षार्थमेव च

Transliteration

nirmamo nirahaṃkāro mama tvaṃ mānasaḥ sutaḥ | kramānmayā tu teṣāṃ vai vedarakṣārthameva ca

Translation

Sans attachement au « mien » et sans ego, tu es mon fils né de l’esprit. En temps voulu, je t’ai établi parmi eux, assurément, afin de protéger les Vedas.

Word by Word

• निर्ममः: without possessiveness
• निर्ममः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-मम (प्रातिपदिक; निर् + मम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; निः-उपसर्गयुक्त (free from ‘mine-ness’)

• निरहंकारः: without ego
• निरहंकारः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-अहंकार (प्रातिपदिक; निर् + अहंकार)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मानसः: mind-born, mental
• मानसः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सुतः इति विशेषण

• सुतः: son
• सुतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• क्रमात्: in order, gradually
• क्रमात्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोग; पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (in due order/gradually)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr̥/Agent (by whom)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• तु: but
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात (but/indeed)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis)

• वेदरक्षार्थम्: for the protection of the Veda
• वेदरक्षार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद-रक्षा-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; वेद + रक्षा + अर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनवाचक

• एव: only, indeed
• एव: Discourse particle (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (restrictive particle)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

Speaker

Brahmā (addressing Nārada)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nārada

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Creator confers a charge upon a serene, youthful mind-born son: a bundle of Vedas (palm-leaf manuscripts) is offered; the son stands with folded hands, haloed, embodying humility and egolessness.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Nārada
• Vedas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Humility and egolessness qualify a seeker to become a guardian of sacred knowledge and a bearer of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named in this verse; it undergirds tīrtha-māhātmya by emphasizing the protection and transmission of Vedic sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed; the duty highlighted is veda-rakṣā—preserving sacred revelation.