Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

यस्य वा गुणसन्दोहस्तस्य नो रूपमुत्तमम् । पक्षपातं च वित्तं च तथान्यद्वरलक्षणम्

Transliteration

yasya vā guṇasandohastasya no rūpamuttamam | pakṣapātaṃ ca vittaṃ ca tathānyadvaralakṣaṇam

Translation

ಅಥವಾ ಯಾರಲ್ಲಿ ಗುಣಸಂದೋಹವಿದೆಯೋ, ಅವರಲ್ಲಿ ಉತ್ತಮ ರೂಪವಿಲ್ಲ; ಮತ್ತೊಬ್ಬರಲ್ಲಿ ಪಕ್ಷಪಾತ, ಧನ ಮತ್ತು ವರನ ಇತರ ಲಕ್ಷಣಗಳೇ ಹೆಚ್ಚಾಗಿ ಕಾಣುತ್ತವೆ।

Word by Word

• yasya: whose
• yasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (of whom/whose)

• vā: or
• vā: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (विकल्प/ disjunctive particle) = or/else

• guṇa-sandohaḥ: a heap of virtues
• guṇa-sandohaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa-sandoha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः: गुणानां सन्दोहः (mass/heap of virtues)

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (of him)

• naḥ: for us
• naḥ: Sampradana (Beneficiary/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी बहुवचन; अत्र: ‘for us’ (dative sense)

• rūpam: beauty
• rūpam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (beauty/form)

• uttamam: excellent
• uttamam: Karta (Adjectival to subject/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of rūpam)

• pakṣapātam: partiality
• pakṣapātam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pakṣa-pāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः: पक्षस्य पातः → पक्षपातः (partiality/favoritism)

• ca: and
• ca: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• vittam: wealth
• vittam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vitta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (wealth)

• ca: and
• ca: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/particle) = likewise/also

• anyat: other
• anyat: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (other)

• vara-lakṣaṇam: qualities of a groom
• vara-lakṣaṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara-lakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः: वरस्य लक्षणम् (mark/qualification of a groom)

Speaker

Sūta (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Three archetypal suitors: one virtuous but plain; one wealthy with attendants and gifts; one backed by influential patrons showing favoritism; the brāhmaṇa weighs them, resisting social pressure.

Characters & Entities

• Guṇa (virtues)
• Vitta (wealth)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly markers—beauty, wealth, influence—are unstable measures; dharma urges careful evaluation of virtues and intentions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not directly; the verse supports the broader pilgrimage narrative that culminates in a named kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an ethical reflection on qualifications and social conduct.