Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

तस्मात्स सर्वदा त्याज्यः सुप्ते देवे विशेषतः । अनीहया जितक्रोधो जितलोभो भवेन्नरः

Transliteration

tasmātsa sarvadā tyājyaḥ supte deve viśeṣataḥ | anīhayā jitakrodho jitalobho bhavennaraḥ

Translation

അതുകൊണ്ട് അതിനെ എല്ലായ്പ്പോഴും ഉപേക്ഷിക്കണം—വിശേഷിച്ച് ദേവൻ ദിവ്യശയനത്തിലിരിക്കുന്ന ചാതുർമാസ്യത്തിൽ. അണീഹഭാവത്തോടെ മനുഷ്യൻ ക്രോധവും ലോഭവും ജയിച്ചവനാകണം.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ-पञ्चमी (therefore/from that reason)

• सः: he/that (ego)
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• त्याज्यः: to be abandoned
• त्याज्यः: Pratipadyam (Predicate/प्रत्यय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्याज्य (प्रातिपदिक; √त्यज् (धातु) + यत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषणम् (gerundive: ‘to be abandoned’)

• सुप्ते: when asleep
• सुप्ते: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुप्त (प्रातिपदिक; √स्वप् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; ‘when (he) is asleep’ (locative absolute with देवे)

• देवे: when the god (is)
• देवे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; सप्तमी-सम्बन्धः (locative absolute with सुप्ते)

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Sambandha (Modifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: especially)

• अनीहया: by non-striving
• अनीहया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-नीहा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; साधन-तृतीया (by non-striving/effortlessness)

• जितक्रोधः: having conquered anger
• जितक्रोधः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित-क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक; √जि (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (क्रोधः जितः येन)

• जितलोभः: having conquered greed
• जितलोभः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित-लोभ (प्रातिपदिक; √जि (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (लोभः जितः येन)

• भवेत्: should become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

Speaker

Brahmā (in Brahmā–Nārada dialogue; inferred from chapter colophon context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu reclining on Śeṣa in yoganidrā (Cāturmāsya), while a pilgrim/sādhaka nearby practices restraint—hands folded, offering simple lamp and water, with symbols of anger/greed (red/black flames) subdued.

Characters & Entities

• Deva (Hari/Viṣṇu implied by 'supte deve')
• Cāturmāsya (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

During Cāturmāsya one should abandon harmful impulses and cultivate non-agitation, mastering anger and greed as core vrata-dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The wider context is the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya within Nāgara-khaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya, where Cāturmāsya observances are praised.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A vrata-style prescription: practice anīhā (non-restless striving) and cultivate victory over krodha (anger) and lobha (greed), especially in the Cāturmāsya period.