Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

यस्मिन्नानामृगा भांति धावमाना इतस्ततः । कलत्रपुत्रपुष्ट्यर्थं लोभार्थं मानवा इव

Transliteration

yasminnānāmṛgā bhāṃti dhāvamānā itastataḥ | kalatraputrapuṣṭyarthaṃ lobhārthaṃ mānavā iva

Translation

Là, l’on voit maints cerfs et autres bêtes courir çà et là, tels des hommes qui, par avidité, se hâtent pour nourrir épouse et enfants.

Word by Word

• yasmin: in which/where
• yasmin: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-सम्भव (pronominal)

• nānā: various
• nānā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषणभाव)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nānā (अव्यय)
• Form: विविधार्थक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘variously/different’)

• mṛgāḥ: deer/animals
• mṛgāḥ: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• bhānti: shine/appear
• bhānti: Kriyā (Predicate action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• dhāvamānāḥ: running
• dhāvamānāḥ: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhāv (धातु) + śānac (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त (Present middle participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• itaḥ: from here
• itaḥ: Adhikaraṇa (Directional/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: itaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: दिशावाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘from here/this side’)

• tataḥ: from there
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (Directional/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: दिशावाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘from there/that side’)

• kalatra-putra-puṣṭi-artham: for the support of wife and son
• kalatra-putra-puṣṭi-artham: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalatra (प्रातिपदिक) + putra (प्रातिपदिक) + puṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः: ‘for the nourishment of wife and son’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• lobha-artham: for greed’s sake
• lobha-artham: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lobha (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• mānavāḥ: men
• mānavāḥ: Upamāna (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā (Simile marker/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle)

Speaker

Sūta (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lively forest slope with many deer and wild animals darting in different directions; the composition subtly juxtaposes them with small human figures in the distance, suggesting worldly hurry.

Characters & Entities

• Vindhya (Mountain)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly restlessness driven by greed is subtly critiqued; the purāṇa invites dharmic reflection even through nature-similes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vindhya is described as teeming with life, serving as the setting for the forthcoming tīrtha narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse offers ethical reflection (lobha vs. dharma) rather than a ritual command.