Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

सुदर्शनैस्तथा धर्मः सेव्यते ह्यविरोधिभिः । सच्छूद्रैर्दानपुण्यैश्च द्विजशुश्रूषणादिभिः

Transliteration

sudarśanaistathā dharmaḥ sevyate hyavirodhibhiḥ | sacchūdrairdānapuṇyaiśca dvijaśuśrūṣaṇādibhiḥ

Translation

സുദർശനവും വിരോധമില്ലാത്തവരുമായവർ ധർമ്മം ആചരിക്കണം. അതുപോലെ സത്സൂദ്രരും ദാനപുണ്യങ്ങളാലും ദ്വിജശുശ്രൂഷ മുതലായ കര്‍ത്തവ്യങ്ങളാലും ധർമ്മം പാലിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• सुदर्शनैः: by good-looking/virtuous (persons)
• सुदर्शनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु-दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक; सु + दर्शन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण) विभक्ति, बहुवचन; साधन/करणार्थे (instrumental)

• तथा: thus, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Discourse connective/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• धर्मः: dharma, righteousness
• धर्मः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सेव्यते: is served/practised
• सेव्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• अविरोधिभिः: by non-opposing (people), by the non-hostile
• अविरोधिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-विरोधिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying the agents)

• सत्: good, virtuous
• सत्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक; सत्-शब्द)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (छूद्रैः इत्यस्य)

• शूद्रैः: by Śūdras
• शूद्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• दानपुण्यैः: by gifts and meritorious acts
• दानपुण्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान-पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक; दान + पुण्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• द्विजशुश्रूषणादिभिः: by service to twice-born (Brahmins) and the like
• द्विजशुश्रूषणादिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज-शुश्रूषण-आदि (प्रातिपदिक; द्विज + शुश्रूषण + आदि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (द्विजानां शुश्रूषणम्) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; ‘आदि’ समाहारार्थक

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A peaceful tīrtha community: pilgrims and locals cooperate—some offer alms, others serve learned priests/teachers; a mediator calms a potential dispute, embodying avirodha.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld through clear understanding, non-hostility, and practical virtues like charity and respectful service.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions as general dharma-instruction within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Meritorious dāna and dvija-śuśrūṣā (service to the twice-born) as recognized forms of dharma-practice.