Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

प्राकृतैर्वचनैश्चैव यथा कुर्वंति मानवाः । तथैव निर्णयस्यांते मध्यगेन विपश्चिता

Transliteration

prākṛtairvacanaiścaiva yathā kurvaṃti mānavāḥ | tathaiva nirṇayasyāṃte madhyagena vipaścitā

Translation

മനുഷ്യർ സാധാരണ വാക്കുകളാൽ എങ്ങനെ പെരുമാറുന്നുവോ, അതുപോലെ തീരുമാനത്തിന്റെ അവസാനം മദ്ധ്യസ്ഥനായ ജ്ഞാനി യുക്തമായി പ്രവർത്തിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• प्राकृतैः: by ordinary; common
• प्राकृतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• वचनैः: by words; statements
• वचनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

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

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• यथा: as; in the manner that
• यथा: Adverbial (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (comparative/manner)

• कुर्वन्ति: they do
• कुर्वन्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• मानवाः: people; men
• मानवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• तथा: so; likewise
• तथा: Adverbial (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb of manner)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• निर्णयस्य: of the decision
• निर्णयस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्णय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अन्ते: at the end
• अन्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (अन्ते = loc.sg.)

• मध्यगेन: by one who is in the middle; by a mediator
• मध्यगेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्यग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• विपश्चिता: by the wise person
• विपश्चिता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विपश्चित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विपश्चित्-शब्द (मतुप्/क्विप्-प्रत्ययान्त)

Speaker

Viśvāmitra (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: brāhmaṇa assembly and disputants

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A mediator stands between two groups, palms open in a calming gesture, delivering a plain-spoken concluding statement while scribes/elders witness; the shrine looms behind as moral anchor.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even sacred procedures require practical, fair mediation; wisdom expresses itself through impartial conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader context is Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra within Nāgara-khaṇḍa’s tīrtha-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The presence and function of a madhyastha (neutral person) to conclude a nirṇaya (determination).