Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

भर्तृयज्ञ उवाच । दुर्लभं भूमिपालत्वं सर्वपापैर्नराधिप । तपोभिर्नियमैर्दानैस्तथान्यैश्च शुभैर्व्रतैः

Transliteration

bhartṛyajña uvāca | durlabhaṃ bhūmipālatvaṃ sarvapāpairnarādhipa | tapobhirniyamairdānaistathānyaiśca śubhairvrataiḥ

Translation

भर्तृयज्ञ ने कहा—हे नराधिप! पापों से आच्छन्न जन के लिए राजत्व दुर्लभ है। तप, नियम, दान तथा अन्य शुभ व्रतों से ही वह प्राप्त होता है।

Word by Word

• भर्तृयज्ञः: Bhartṛyajña (name)
• भर्तृयज्ञः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृयज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• दुर्लभम्: rare, difficult to obtain
• दुर्लभम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• भूमिपालत्वम्: kingship, the state of being a ruler of the earth
• भूमिपालत्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि + पाल + त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘भूमेः पालः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष + त्व-प्रत्यय (abstract noun)

• सर्वपापैः: by/with all sins
• सर्वपापैः: Hetu/Karana (Instrument/Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘सर्वाणि पापानि’

• नराधिप: O lord of men, O king
• नराधिप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; ‘नराणाम् अधिपः’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• तपोभिः: by austerities
• तपोभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• नियमैः: by observances, restraints
• नियमैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• दानैः: by gifts, donations
• दानैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• तथा: and also, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—समुच्चय/उपपद (adverb: ‘also/likewise’)

• अन्यैः: by other
• अन्यैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण (शुभैः/व्रतैः सह)

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

• शुभैः: auspicious, good
• शुभैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण (व्रतैः)

• व्रतैः: by vows, religious observances
• व्रतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

Speaker

Bhartṛyajña

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sage Bhartṛyajña instructs the king: a visual sequence of tapas (fire-austerity), niyama (disciplined conduct), dāna (gifting), and vrata (fasting/ritual observance) surrounding the central teaching figure.

Characters & Entities

• Bhartṛyajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Legitimate authority is rooted in inner discipline and generosity; dharma precedes dominion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single site is named in this verse; it functions as general dharma-teaching within the ongoing tīrtha-māhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Practice tapas (austerity), niyama (restraints), dāna (charity), and śubha-vratas (holy vows).