Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

श्रुतिक्रियापरं ज्ञानं कृष्णार्पितमनोगतिः । एतानि यस्य तिष्ठंति व्रतानि ब्रह्मवित्तम

Transliteration

śrutikriyāparaṃ jñānaṃ kṛṣṇārpitamanogatiḥ | etāni yasya tiṣṭhaṃti vratāni brahmavittama

Translation

ശ്രുതിവിഹിത കർമങ്ങളിൽ അധിഷ്ഠിതമായ ജ്ഞാനവും, കൃഷ്ണനിൽ അർപ്പിതമായ മനോഗതിയും—ഇവ ആരിൽ ദൃഢമായി നിലകൊള്ളുന്നുവോ, അവൻ ബ്രഹ്മവിദുകളിൽ ശ്രേഷ്ഠൻ എന്നു പറയപ്പെടുന്നു.

Word by Word

• श्रुति-क्रिया-परम्: devoted to scripture and ritual action
• श्रुति-क्रिया-परम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; (विशेषण) ‘श्रुतिः च क्रिया च तयोः परम्’ इति तत्पुरुषसमासः

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कृष्ण-अर्पित-मनोगतिः: a mind directed/committed to Krishna
• कृष्ण-अर्पित-मनोगतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्पित (कृदन्त, √अर्प् धातु) + मनोगति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘कृष्णे अर्पिता मनोगतिः’ इति षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषभावः

• एतानि: these
• एतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• यस्य: of whom
• यस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन (सम्बन्ध)

• तिष्ठन्ति: remain/stand (are present)
• तिष्ठन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• व्रतानि: vows/observances
• व्रतानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ब्रह्म-वित्-तम: O best knower of Brahman
• ब्रह्म-वित्-तम: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + वित् (कृदन्त, √विद् धातु) + तम (प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘ब्रह्म वेत्ति’ इति उपपद-तत्पुरुषः, तस्य तमप्-प्रत्ययेन अतिशय (superlative)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; exact speaker not stated in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-scholar seated near a shrine, holding a śruti text; above/behind, a subtle vision of Kṛṣṇa receiving the devotee’s thoughts as lotus-offerings; the devotee’s mind-stream depicted as a gentle ribbon of light merging into Kṛṣṇa.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Brahman
• Śruti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When scriptural discipline is joined with devotion—dedicating the mind to Kṛṣṇa—vrata becomes a path to Brahman-realization.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse does not name a particular tīrtha; it articulates the inner spiritual standard expected within the larger tīrtha-mahātmya context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Adherence to Śruti-sanctioned rites (śruti-kriyā) and maintaining a Kṛṣṇa-dedicated mental orientation are presented as core observances.