Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

मद एव मनुष्याणां शरीरस्थो महारिपुः । सदा स एव निग्राह्यः सुप्ते देवे विशेषतः

Transliteration

mada eva manuṣyāṇāṃ śarīrastho mahāripuḥ | sadā sa eva nigrāhyaḥ supte deve viśeṣataḥ

Translation

Kesombongan semata adalah musuh besar manusia, berdiam di dalam tubuh. Ia harus senantiasa dikendalikan—terutama ketika Deva ‘terlelap’ (pada masa Cāturmāsya).

Word by Word

• madaḥ: pride, intoxication
• madaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mada (मद-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• manuṣyāṇām: of humans
• manuṣyāṇām: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manuṣya (मनुष्य-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• śarīrasthaḥ: dwelling in the body
• śarīrasthaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śarīra (शरीर-प्रातिपदिक) + stha (स्थ-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (śarīre sthaḥ)

• mahā-ripuḥ: great enemy
• mahā-ripuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (महा-प्रातिपदिक) + ripu (रिपु-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (mahān ripuḥ)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• saḥ: he/that (pride)
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्-सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• nigrāhyaḥ: to be restrained, checked
• nigrāhyaḥ: Vidhi (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni√grah (नि + √ग्रह्, धातु)
• Form: यत्/तव्यत्-अर्थे कृदन्त (gerundive: to be restrained), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (saḥ)

• supte: when (he) is asleep
• supte: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: supta (सुप्त-प्रातिपदिक; √svap क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (deve)

• deve: when the deity is asleep (Deva-śayana)
• deve: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (देव-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• viśeṣataḥ: especially
• viśeṣataḥ: Sambandha (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: especially)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya didactic context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A warrior-like ascetic subdues a lion-shaped figure labeled ‘mada’ within a human silhouette; nearby, Viṣṇu rests on Śeṣa (Deva ‘asleep’) under monsoon clouds, indicating Cāturmāsya.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pride is a powerful inner enemy; restraining it is essential, with special vigilance during Cāturmāsya.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse highlights sacred time (Cāturmāsya) rather than a sacred place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A sustained restraint of pride as part of Cāturmāsya observance; ‘supte deve’ points to the traditional four-month vow season.