Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

कच्चित्त्वं सर्वदाभीष्टा पत्युर्दानैस्तथार्च्चनैः । बंधून्स्वमित्रवर्गं च तत्पुरः पृष्ठतोपि वा

Transliteration

kaccittvaṃ sarvadābhīṣṭā patyurdānaistathārccanaiḥ | baṃdhūnsvamitravargaṃ ca tatpuraḥ pṛṣṭhatopi vā

Translation

«Demeures-tu toujours agréable à ton époux par des dons et des actes d’adoration, honorant aussi ses parents et son cercle d’amis, en sa présence ou même en son absence ?»

Word by Word

• कच्चित्: whether (I ask)
• कच्चित्: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय

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

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

• अभीष्टा: pleasing/dear
• अभीष्टा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभीष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• पत्युः: of (your) husband
• पत्युः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• दानैः: by gifts
• दानैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'thus/also')

• अर्चनैः: by worship/offerings
• अर्चनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• बन्धून्: kinsmen/relatives
• बन्धून्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन

• स्व: one's own
• स्व: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (in compound), स्व- (own)

• मित्र: friends
• मित्र: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• वर्गम्: group of (your) own friends
• वर्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (स्वमित्राणां वर्गः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• तत्: there/that
• तत्: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/अव्ययवत्; अत्र अव्ययप्रयोगः (that/there) समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• पुरः: in front (of him/there)
• पुरः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: 'in front'); अव्ययीभाव-समासः (तत् + पुरः)

• पृष्ठतः: behind
• पृष्ठतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृष्ठतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: 'from behind/behind')

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चय-अव्यय (also/even)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

Speaker

Unspecified (didactic voice within Nāgara-khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The speaker asks whether she keeps her husband pleased through gifts and worship, and whether she honors his relatives and friends both publicly and privately.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Household dharma includes reverence expressed through generosity and worship, extending respect to the spouse’s family and community consistently.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is explicitly named in this verse; it functions as dharma-upadeśa within a tīrtha-māhātmya context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna (giving) and arcana (worship/reverential honoring) are recommended as ongoing supports to righteous household life.