Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

कुलधर्माञ्ज्ञातिधर्मान्देशधर्मान्महेश्वर । ये त्यजंति च तेऽवश्यं कुलाच्च पतिता जनाः

Transliteration

kuladharmāñjñātidharmāndeśadharmānmaheśvara | ye tyajaṃti ca te'vaśyaṃ kulācca patitā janāḥ

Translation

ಹೇ ಮಹೇಶ್ವರಾ! ಕುಲಧರ್ಮ, ಬಂಧುಧರ್ಮ ಮತ್ತು ದೇಶಧರ್ಮಗಳನ್ನು ತ್ಯಜಿಸುವವರು ನಿಶ್ಚಯವಾಗಿ ಪತಿತರಾಗುತ್ತಾರೆ—ತಮ್ಮ ಸಮುದಾಯದಿಂದಲೂ ಬೀಳುತ್ತಾರೆ.

Word by Word

• कुलधर्मान्: family-duties
• कुलधर्मान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कुलस्य धर्माः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन

• ज्ञातिधर्मान्: kinsmen’s duties
• ज्ञातिधर्मान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञाति + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (ज्ञातीनां धर्माः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• देशधर्मान्: regional duties/customs
• देशधर्मान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (देशस्य धर्माः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• महेश्वर: O Maheśvara
• महेश्वर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• त्यजन्ति: abandon
• त्यजन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अवश्यम्: certainly
• अवश्यम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अवश्यम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of certainty)

• कुलात्: from the family
• कुलात्: Apadana (Separation/source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन

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

• पतिताः: fallen
• पतिताः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पतित (प्रातिपदिक; √पत् + क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; जनाः-विशेषण

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

A devotee/interlocutor addressing Śiva as “Maheśvara” (deduced from direct vocative)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee speaks with folded hands to Maheśvara; behind them are three symbolic circles labeled kula, jñāti, deśa—like protective mandalas; outside lies a shadowed exile representing ‘kula-patana’.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual life includes honoring one’s inherited, kin-based, and regional dharmas; rejecting them leads to social and moral fall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it supports the dharma frame surrounding tīrtha glorification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse stresses adherence to multiple layers of dharma (family, kin, regional).