Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

न साम्ना नैव भेदेन न दानेन कथंचन । न दण्डेन महाराज तस्माद्गच्छ निजालयम्

Transliteration

na sāmnā naiva bhedena na dānena kathaṃcana | na daṇḍena mahārāja tasmādgaccha nijālayam

Translation

സാമം കൊണ്ടുമല്ല, ഭേദം കൊണ്ടുമല്ല, ഏതൊരു ദാനത്താലുമല്ല—ദണ്ഡം കൊണ്ടുപോലും അല്ല, ഹേ മഹാരാജാ; അതിനാൽ നിന്റെ ആലയത്തിലേക്ക് മടങ്ങുക.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध/Negation)

• साम्ना: by conciliation
• साम्ना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; उपायार्थे

• न: nor
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध)

• एव: indeed; even
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण/Emphasis particle)

• भेदेन: by division; by intrigue
• भेदेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; उपायार्थे

• न: nor
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध)

• दानेन: by gift; by bribery
• दानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; उपायार्थे

• कथंचन: in any way whatsoever
• कथंचन: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (प्रकार/Emphatic adverb: ‘in any way’)

• न: nor
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध)

• दण्डेन: by punishment; by force
• दण्डेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; उपायार्थे

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् इति अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; हेत्वर्थे (‘therefore’)

• गच्छ: go
• गच्छ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• निजालयम्: to your own abode/home
• निजालयम्: Karma (Goal/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निज + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; गत्यर्थक-क्रियायाः कर्म

Speaker

Vasiṣṭha

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nandinī (contextual)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahārāja (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A firm dismissal: the sage tells the king that no method—conciliation, division, gift, or punishment—will succeed; the king is instructed to depart.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Some dharmic principles are non-negotiable: righteousness is not surrendered to persuasion, manipulation, wealth, or power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of a Tīrthamāhātmya chapter but does not itself name a particular sacred site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an ethical injunction rejecting coercive acquisition.