Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

एवमर्थं निवेद्याथ ततो विप्रं प्रपूजयेत् । यथाशक्त्या द्विजश्रेष्ठा वित्तशाठ्यं विवर्जयेत्

Transliteration

evamarthaṃ nivedyātha tato vipraṃ prapūjayet | yathāśaktyā dvijaśreṣṭhā vittaśāṭhyaṃ vivarjayet

Translation

Après avoir ainsi présenté sa requête, qu’on honore alors comme il se doit un brāhmaṇa. Ô meilleur des deux-fois-nés, selon ses moyens, qu’on évite toute tromperie au sujet des biens et qu’on donne sans avarice.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Prakāra (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (thus)

• अर्थम्: purpose/matter
• अर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), एकवचन

• निवेद्य: having submitted/informed
• निवेद्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + वेद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund/absolutive); ‘having informed/offered’

• अथ: then
• अथ: Anukrama (Sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then/now)

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Anukrama (Sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अपादानार्थक/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (thereafter/from that)

• विप्रम्: a brāhmaṇa
• विप्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), एकवचन

• प्रपूजयेत्: should worship/honor
• प्रपूजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यथाशक्त्या: according to ability
• यथाशक्त्या: Prakāra (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययवत् (according to one’s ability)

• द्विजश्रेष्ठाः: best of the twice-born (brāhmaṇas)
• द्विजश्रेष्ठाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थे अपि पाठान्तरसम्भवः

• वित्तशाठ्यम्: deceit regarding wealth
• वित्तशाठ्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वित्त + शाठ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), एकवचन

• विवर्जयेत्: should avoid
• विवर्जयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + वर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijaśreṣṭha (addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee, after offering a petition, respectfully worships and honors a brāhmaṇa with gifts, emphasizing sincerity and proportional giving.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa (Vipra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion must culminate in ethical generosity—honoring worthy recipients and avoiding deceit in giving.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not explicitly stated in this verse; it emphasizes the dhārmic completion of worship through honoring brāhmaṇas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

After the prayer, perform brāhmaṇa-pūjā and give according to means, avoiding miserliness or fraudulent withholding.