Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

सेवितं सर्वफलदं तथा योगी विमुक्तिदः । यथा गोमयमात्रेण वह्निर्दीप्यति सर्वदा

Transliteration

sevitaṃ sarvaphaladaṃ tathā yogī vimuktidaḥ | yathā gomayamātreṇa vahnirdīpyati sarvadā

Translation

Lorsqu’on le sert avec dévotion, il accorde tous les fruits; de même, le yogin dispense la délivrance. Ainsi le feu flamboie sans cesse lorsqu’on le nourrit, fût-ce d’un simple peu de bouse de vache en guise de combustible.

Word by Word

• सेवितम्: served; practiced
• सेवितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sevita (कृदन्त; √sev)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter Nom./Acc. singular) विशेषणम्; कृदन्तः—क्त (past passive participle) √सेव्

• सर्व-फल-दम्: giving all results
• सर्व-फल-दम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक) + da (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter Nom./Acc. singular) विशेषणम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ('of all fruits' + 'giving')

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारसूचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'thus/so')

• योगी: a yogi
• योगी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative singular)

• विमुक्ति-दः: giver of liberation
• विमुक्ति-दः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vimukti (प्रातिपदिक) + da (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative singular) विशेषणम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ('liberation' + 'giver')

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानसूचक (indeclinable: 'just as')

• गोमय-मात्रेण: with just a little cow-dung
• गोमय-मात्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gomaya (प्रातिपदिक) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (करण), एकवचन (Neuter, Instrumental singular); तत्पुरुषः ('cow-dung' + 'mere amount')

• वह्निः: fire
• वह्निः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vahni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative singular)

• दीप्यति: blazes; shines
• दीप्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dīp (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (Present, Atmanepada, 3rd person singular)

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time: 'always')

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred spot being tended—swept steps, lamps lit; a yogin sits nearby radiating peace; a small piece of cow-dung fuel is placed into a fire that flares brightly, symbolizing how small seva sustains great spiritual power.

Characters & Entities

• Yogī
• Vimukti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Service to a realized yogin is a direct path to spiritual fruits and liberation, even through small acts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific location is named; the verse treats the holy person (yogin) as a living tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sevā (attending/serving) the yogin; the metaphor implies that even modest offerings sustain great spiritual benefit.