Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

औरसः क्षेत्रजश्चैव क्रयक्रीतश्च पालितः । प्रतिपन्नः सहोढश्च कानीनश्चापि सत्तम

Transliteration

aurasaḥ kṣetrajaścaiva krayakrītaśca pālitaḥ | pratipannaḥ sahoḍhaśca kānīnaścāpi sattama

Translation

ഹേ സത്തമാ! ഔരസ പുത്രൻ, ക്ഷേത്രജ പുത്രൻ, ക്രയക്രീത (വാങ്ങിയ) പുത്രൻ, പാലിത പുത്രൻ, പ്രതിപന്ന (സ്വീകരിച്ച) പുത്രൻ, സഹോഢ (വധുവിനൊപ്പം വന്ന) പുത്രൻ, കാനീന (കന്യാജാത) പുത്രൻ—ഇവയും (അവയിൽ) എണ്ണപ്പെട്ടവയാണ്.

Word by Word

• औरसः: the legitimate (natural-born) son
• औरसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: औरस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; पुत्र-विशेषः

• क्षेत्रजः: the kṣetraja son (born through appointed procreation)
• क्षेत्रजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्रज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: क्षेत्रात् जातः (पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पुत्र-विशेषः

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात

• क्रयक्रीतः: the purchased son
• क्रयक्रीतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रय + क्रीत (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: समासः: क्रयेण क्रीतः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयवत्); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पुत्र-विशेषः

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात

• पालितः: the fostered/protected (adopted) son
• पालितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाल् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्) → पालित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘पालितः’ = ‘पालित-पुत्रः’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रतिपन्नः: the accepted son
• प्रतिपन्नः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रति + पद् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्) → प्रतिपन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past active/passive participle usage) ‘स्वीकृतः’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पुत्र-विशेषः

• सहोढः: the sahoḍha son (born with the bride / already in womb)
• सहोढः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सह + ऊढ (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: समासः: सह ऊढः (सह-उपपद-तत्पुरुष); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पुत्र-विशेषः

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात

• कानीनः: the kānīna son (maiden-born)
• कानीनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कानीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पुत्र-विशेषः

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अन्वर्थ-निपात (also)

• सत्तम: O best of men
• सत्तम: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; ‘सत्+तम’ (श्रेष्ठ)

Speaker

Bhartṛyajña

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teaching tableau where the sage counts categories on fingers; small symbolic mini-scenes (adoption, fostering, bride with child) appear as narrative side-panels around the main discourse.

Characters & Entities

• Bhartṛyajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ancestral duty is protected by dharma through recognized family structures, so that rites like śrāddha can continue responsibly.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is described in this verse; it functions as dharma instruction within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It lists recognized categories of sons relevant to who may carry out son-based obligations such as śrāddha.