Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

सुवस्त्राणि हिरण्यं च तथान्यद्वापि वांछितम् । त्वया विष्णो सदा कार्यं कृत्याकृत्यपरीक्षणम्

Transliteration

suvastrāṇi hiraṇyaṃ ca tathānyadvāpi vāṃchitam | tvayā viṣṇo sadā kāryaṃ kṛtyākṛtyaparīkṣaṇam

Translation

“ശ്രേഷ്ഠ വസ്ത്രങ്ങളും സ്വർണ്ണവും മറ്റെന്തെങ്കിലും ആഗ്രഹിച്ചതും നൽകുക. ഹേ വിഷ്ണോ, നീ എപ്പോഴും കൃത്യ-അകൃത്യപരിശോധന നടത്തണം.”

Word by Word

• सुवस्त्राणि: fine garments
• सुवस्त्राणि: Karta (Subject/Item list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su + vastra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (good garments)

• हिरण्यम्: gold
• हिरण्यम्: Karta (Subject/Item list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hiraṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• तथा: also
• तथा: Samuccaya/Adverbial
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थे/क्रियाविशेषण (also/likewise)

• अन्यत्: other (thing)
• अन्यत्: Karta (Subject/Item list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्प (disjunctive particle: or)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Emphasis/Addition
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अपि-शब्दः (particle)

• वाञ्छितम्: desired, wished-for
• वाञ्छितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vāñch (धातु) + kta → vāñchita (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘desired’

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karaṇa (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• विष्णो: O Viṣṇu
• विष्णो: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (adverb: always)

• कार्यम्: the task/duty
• कार्यम्: Karta (Subject/Predicate-noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय (that which is to be done)

• कृत्याकृत्यपरीक्षणम्: examination of what should and should not be done
• कृत्याकृत्यपरीक्षणम्: Karta (Apposition/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛtya + akṛtya + parīkṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-पूर्वपद (कृत्य-अकृत्य) + तत्पुरुष (परीक्षणम्)

Speaker

Brahmā (continued instruction)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vishnu is tasked with overseeing ritual correctness—scrutinizing actions to be done and avoided—while gifts of fine garments and gold are arranged for distribution.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Hiraṇya (gold)
• Vastra (garments)
• Kṛtya/akṛtya (do’s and don’ts)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is sustained by viveka—continuous discernment of right and wrong safeguards even sacred rites.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha’s sanctity is shown through meticulous dharma-governed worship; the site name is not present in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Provision of garments and gold as gifts, and ongoing oversight to ensure correct ritual conduct.