Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

अर्थाप्तिः पूर्वपुण्येन जाता तस्य महात्मनः । वाणिज्यं स्वजनैर्नित्यं स्वदेशपरदेशजम्

Transliteration

arthāptiḥ pūrvapuṇyena jātā tasya mahātmanaḥ | vāṇijyaṃ svajanairnityaṃ svadeśaparadeśajam

Translation

Par le mérite des actes anciens, la prospérité advint à ce noble homme. Les siens se livraient sans cesse au commerce, dans leur pays comme en terres étrangères.

Word by Word

• अर्थाप्तिः: acquisition of wealth
• अर्थाप्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ + आप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अर्थस्य आप्तिः)

• पूर्वपुण्येन: by former merit
• पूर्वपुण्येन: Karana (Instrument/Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व + पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (पूर्वं पुण्यम्)

• जाता: arose/occurred
• जाता: Kriya (Predicative action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle), कर्तरि प्रयोग; 'arose/was produced'

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled man
• महात्मनः: Shashthi-sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् आत्मा यस्य)

• वाणिज्यम्: trade/commerce
• वाणिज्यम्: Karma/Visaya (Object/Topic/कर्म/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाणिज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; (अत्र कर्म/विषयार्थे)

• स्वजनैः: by/with his own people
• स्वजनैः: Karana/Sahakari (Means/Associates/करण/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (स्वा जनाः)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: always)

• स्वदेशपरदेशजम्: arising from (both) one’s own country and foreign lands
• स्वदेशपरदेशजम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वदेश + परदेश + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-पूर्वपद (स्वदेश-परदेश) + ज (उत्पन्न/सम्बद्ध)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgara-khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A noble merchant-householder whose prosperity is shown through caravans and ships, with ledgers, bales, and respectful attendants—yet with a calm, dharmic aura suggesting merit as the true source.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Material prosperity is portrayed as a fruit of prior merit, to be used responsibly within dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is stated in this verse; it frames the protagonist’s karmic background within the māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse explains causality (pūrvapuṇya) rather than prescribing rites.