Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

इह लोके च धनिनां परोऽपि स्वजनायते । स्वजनोऽपि दरिद्राणां कार्यार्थे दुर्जनायते

Transliteration

iha loke ca dhanināṃ paro'pi svajanāyate | svajano'pi daridrāṇāṃ kāryārthe durjanāyate

Translation

ഈ ലോകത്തിൽ ധനവാനെക്കാൾ അന്യനും സ്വജനത്തെപ്പോലെ ആകുന്നു; എന്നാൽ ദരിദ്രന് കാര്യസമയത്ത് സ്വജനനും ദുർജനനെപ്പോലെ മാറുന്നു.

Word by Word

• इह: here
• इह: देशाधिकरण (Locative sense/Adverbial location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक/conjunction)

• धनिनाम्: of the wealthy
• धनिनाम्: सम्बन्ध (Possessor/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• परः: a stranger/other person
• परः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Particle modifying clause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अपि—सम्भावना/अपवाद/अतिशयार्थक particle)

• स्वजनायते: becomes like one’s own kinsman
• स्वजनायते: क्रिया (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्वजन (प्रातिपदिक) + √अस् (धातु)
• Form: स्वजन-आयते (नामधातु/denominative), लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• स्वजनः: one’s own relative
• स्वजनः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Particle modifying clause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle)

• दरिद्राणाम्: of the poor
• दरिद्राणाम्: सम्बन्ध (Possessor/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दरिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• कार्यार्थे: in the matter of accomplishing a task
• कार्यार्थे: अधिकरण (Context/occasion: 'in the matter of')
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कार्यस्य अर्थः = purpose of a task)

• दुर्जनायते: becomes like a wicked person
• दुर्जनायते: क्रिया (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दुर्जन (प्रातिपदिक) + √अस् (धातु)
• Form: दुर्जन-आयते (नामधातु/denominative), लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Kṣatriya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wealthy pilgrim is warmly welcomed by strangers, while a poor man is turned away by his own kin when he asks for help; a tīrtha setting in the background hints at moral instruction.

Characters & Entities

• dhanin (wealthy)
• daridra (poor)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True dharma is tested in how one treats the vulnerable; charity and loyalty should not be dictated by wealth or utility.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it conveys a universal social teaching within the mahātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite is prescribed, but the ethical thrust supports dāna and compassionate aid to the poor.