Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

सत्संगो द्विजभक्तिश्च गुरुदेवाग्नि तर्पणम् । गोप्रदानं वेदपाठः सत्क्रियासत्यभाषणम्

Transliteration

satsaṃgo dvijabhaktiśca gurudevāgni tarpaṇam | gopradānaṃ vedapāṭhaḥ satkriyāsatyabhāṣaṇam

Translation

സത്സംഗം, ദ്വിജഭക്തി, ഗുരു-ദേവ-അഗ്നി തർപ്പണം; ഗോദാനം, വേദപാഠം, സത്ക്രിയ, സത്യഭാഷണം—ഇവയാണ് ധർമ്മത്തിന്റെ പ്രശംസിത രൂപങ്ങൾ।

Word by Word

• सत्सङ्गः: association with the good (satsanga)
• सत्सङ्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + सङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सतः सङ्गः)

• द्विजभक्तिः: devotion to Brahmins
• द्विजभक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (द्विजस्य भक्तिः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• गुरुदेवाग्नितर्पणम्: offering/oblation to guru, gods, and fire
• गुरुदेवाग्नितर्पणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + तर्पण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (गुरु-देव-अग्नीनां तर्पणम्)

• गोप्रदानम्: gift of cows
• गोप्रदानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गवां प्रदानम्)

• वेदपाठः: recitation of the Veda
• वेदपाठः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + पाठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वेदस्य पाठः)

• सत्क्रियासत्यभाषणम्: good conduct and truthful speech
• सत्क्रियासत्यभाषणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + भाषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (सत्क्रिया च सत्यभाषणं च)

Speaker

Unspecified (didactic list within the teaching; likely Brahmā continuing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dharma tableau: sages and householders in sat-saṅga; a brāhmaṇa recites Veda; a cow is respectfully gifted; offerings are made to a sacred fire; a guru is honored; people speak truthfully in a calm assembly.

Characters & Entities

• Guru
• Deva
• Agni
• Dvija
• Veda
• Go (cow)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld through community with the virtuous, reverence, disciplined worship, charity, sacred learning, and truthfulness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is named in this verse; it supports the broader tīrtha-ethos by prescribing conduct befitting pilgrims and householders.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Guru-deva-agni tarpaṇa, go-pradāna (cow-gift), veda-pāṭha, and satya-bhāṣaṇa are explicitly prescribed.