Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

यद्यपि स्याद्दुराचारः सर्वाशी सर्वविक्रयी । सुपर्णाख्यस्य देवस्य पुरतः श्रद्धयाऽन्वितः

Transliteration

yadyapi syāddurācāraḥ sarvāśī sarvavikrayī | suparṇākhyasya devasya purataḥ śraddhayā'nvitaḥ

Translation

たとえ人が悪行に染まり、何でも食し何でも売る者であっても、信心（シュラッダー）をもって「スパルナ」（Suparṇa）と名づく神の御前に立つならば、文脈に説かれる浄化の約束にかなう者となる。

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha/Avyaya (Clause marker/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक (conditional particle: if)

• अपि: even; though
• अपि: Sambandha/Avyaya (Modifier/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधानार्थक (particle: even/though)

• स्यात्: should be; were
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (optative, 3rd person, singular: may be/would be)

• दुराचारः: a person of bad conduct
• दुराचारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुराचार (प्रातिपदिक: दुर् + आचार)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine, nominative, singular)

• सर्वाशी: eating everything; indiscriminate eater
• सर्वाशी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वाशी (प्रातिपदिक: सर्व + आशी)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine, nominative, singular; qualifying दुराचारः)

• सर्वविक्रयी: selling everything; trading in all (improperly)
• सर्वविक्रयी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वविक्रयी (प्रातिपदिक: सर्व + विक्रयी)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine, nominative, singular; qualifying दुराचारः)

• सुपर्णाख्यस्य: of the one named Suparṇa
• सुपर्णाख्यस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुपर्ण-आख्य (प्रातिपदिक: सुपर्ण + आख्य)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine, genitive, singular; qualifying देवस्य)

• देवस्य: of the deity
• देवस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine, genitive, singular)

• पुरतः: before; in the presence of
• पुरतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (indeclinable adverb: in front of)

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (feminine, instrumental, singular)

• अन्वितः: endowed; accompanied
• अन्वितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वि+इ (धातु) → अन्वित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine, nominative, singular; qualifying subject)

Speaker

Sūta (contextual continuity)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Suparṇa-devatā sthāna (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A morally fallen man (simple, worn attire) stands with newfound humility before a radiant deity named Suparṇa; the deity may be depicted as Garuḍa-like (eagle form) or as a divine figure with bird-emblem; attendants and lamps emphasize sanctuary and acceptance.

Characters & Entities

• Suparṇākhyadeva (deity named Suparṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Faithful approach to a sacred deity-site is depicted as transformative, able to override even severe moral decline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The presence of the deity called Suparṇa (Suparṇākhyadeva), indicating a specific shrine within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa sacred circuit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śraddhā-yukta darśana/attendance—approaching and standing before the deity with faith (preparatory to the vow described next).