Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

यक्षकर्दमसंत्यागाद्ब्रह्मलोके महीयते । ज्ञानी पुष्पपरित्यागाच्छय्यात्यागे महत्सु खम्

Transliteration

yakṣakardamasaṃtyāgādbrahmaloke mahīyate | jñānī puṣpaparityāgācchayyātyāge mahatsu kham

Translation

യക്ഷ-കർദമം (സുഗന്ധ ലേപനം) ഉപേക്ഷിക്കാതിരുന്നാൽ ബ്രഹ്മലോകത്തിൽ ആദരം ലഭിക്കുന്നു. ജ്ഞാനി പുഷ്പത്യാഗവും ശയ്യാത്യാഗവും ചെയ്‌താൽ മഹാസുഖം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• यक्ष-कर्दम-सं-त्यागात्: from giving up yakṣa-kardama (a substance/ointment)
• यक्ष-कर्दम-सं-त्यागात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्दम (प्रातिपदिक) + संत्याग (प्रातिपदिक; सम्-त्यज्-धातुजन्य भावनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमीविभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (यक्षस्य कर्दमः; तस्य संत्यागः)

• ब्रह्मलोके: in Brahma’s world
• ब्रह्मलोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमीविभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणः लोकः)

• महीयते: is honored/exalted
• महीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (is honored/grows great)

• ज्ञानी: a wise man/knower
• ज्ञानी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञानिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पुष्प-परित्यागात्: from renouncing flowers
• पुष्प-परित्यागात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + परित्याग (प्रातिपदिक; त्यज्-धातुजन्य भावनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमीविभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (पुष्पस्य परित्यागः)

• शय्या-त्यागे: in (the practice of) giving up the bed (sleeping on ground)
• शय्या-त्यागे: Adhikarana (Topic/occasion/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शय्या (प्रातिपदिक) + त्याग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमीविभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (शय्यायाः त्यागः)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (सुखम् इति)

• सुखम्: happiness
• सुखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya didactic narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-votary in a Gujarat tīrtha setting sets aside perfume-paste, offers simple worship without decorative flowers for personal enjoyment, and sleeps on a kusa-mat near a shrine, embodying Cāturmāsya restraint.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Brahmaloka)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reducing sensual comforts (adornment and soft living) is upheld as a path to higher merit and deeper contentment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse presents general vrata-phala; it does not identify a named tirtha in the line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vow-like renunciations: avoid ornamental pleasures (flowers) and practice austerity by giving up the bed.