Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

न तस्य जायते श्रेयस्तत्समुत्थं कथंचन । एतत्प्रोक्तं तदा तेन यदा स्थानं ददौ हि नः

Transliteration

na tasya jāyate śreyastatsamutthaṃ kathaṃcana | etatproktaṃ tadā tena yadā sthānaṃ dadau hi naḥ

Translation

ആ അനുചിത കർമത്തിൽ നിന്ന് യാതൊരു ശ്രേയസ്സും ഒരിക്കലും ജനിക്കുകയില്ല. ഞങ്ങൾക്ക് ഈ സ്ഥലം ദാനം ചെയ്തപ്പോൾ അവൻ അന്നേ ഇത് പ്രസ്താവിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• तस्य: for him; of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• जायते: is born; arises
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jan (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• श्रेयः: welfare; good; merit
• श्रेयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śreyas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; ‘समुत्थम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• समुत्थम्: arising from that
• समुत्थम्: Karta (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ud-√sthā (धातु) + uttha (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय/निष्ठा)
• Form: कृदन्त (उत्थ/उत्थित-भाव), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; ‘श्रेयः’ इति विशेषण

• कथंचन: in any way; at all
• कथंचन: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kathaṃcana (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/अव्यय (in any way/at all)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रोक्तम्: said; declared
• प्रोक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√vac (धातु) + ukta/prokta (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; ‘एतत्’ इति विशेषण/विधेय

• तदा: then
• तदा: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• यदा: when
• यदा: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक सम्बन्ध-अव्यय (when)

• स्थानम्: place; abode
• स्थानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• हि: indeed
• हि: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: indeed)

• नः: to us
• नः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4) बहुवचन-प्रयोगार्थे दत्तिवाचक एकवचनवत् (enclitic dative/genitive usage); सर्वनाम

Speaker

Nāgara brāhmaṇas (collectively), citing an earlier authority (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nāgara-kṣetra (implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A declarative moment: the original grant is recalled; a sage-like authority states that no śreyas arises from the improper act; listeners absorb the rule in calm seriousness.

Characters & Entities

• Nāgara brāhmaṇas (implied)
• anonymous prior authority (tena)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual merit (śreyas) depends not only on the act but on correct dharmic conditions and sanctioned procedure within a sacred place.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse refers to a specific ‘sthāna’ (sacred jurisdiction) within Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s tīrtha narrative, presented as specially allotted to the Nāgara brāhmaṇas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A negative prescription: rites done in violation of the established local rule do not generate śreyas (spiritual benefit).