Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

भूषितो यो भवेन्नित्यं स विप्र इति कथ्यते । क्षत्रियेण तपः कार्यं यजनं दानमेव च

Transliteration

bhūṣito yo bhavennityaṃ sa vipra iti kathyate | kṣatriyeṇa tapaḥ kāryaṃ yajanaṃ dānameva ca

Translation

എപ്പോഴും സദ്ഗുണങ്ങളാൽ അലങ്കൃതനായിരിക്കുന്നവൻ ‘വിപ്രൻ’ എന്നു വിളിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു. ക്ഷത്രിയൻ തപസ്സു ചെയ്യുകയും യജ്ഞം നടത്തുകയും ദാനം നൽകുകയും വേണം.

Word by Word

• भूषितः: adorned, endowed (with virtues)
• भूषितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूष् (धातु) → भूषित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• भवेत्: should be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावे नपुंसक-एकवचन-आकारान्तम्, क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; संकेतक सर्वनाम (demonstrative pronoun)

• विप्रः: a brāhmaṇa, learned man
• विप्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्ति-निपात (quotative particle)

• कथ्यते: is called
• कथ्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• क्षत्रियेण: by/for a kṣatriya
• क्षत्रियेण: Kartr (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (form identical)

• कार्यम्: to be done, should be performed
• कार्यम्: Kriya (Obligation/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कार्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate adjective)

• यजनम्: sacrifice, worship
• यजनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज् (धातु) → यजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दानम्: giving, charity
• दानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण-निपात

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

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic courtly scene: a sage instructs a ruler and attendants; the brāhmaṇa is shown ‘adorned’ with calm virtues, while the kṣatriya is depicted performing austerity, arranging a yajña, and distributing gifts.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True spiritual status is defined by virtues, while royal power is sanctified by austerity, sacrifice, and generosity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is cited in this shloka; it provides dharma guidelines often paired with tīrtha narratives.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It prescribes yajana (sacrificial sponsorship/performance) and dāna for kṣatriyas, along with tapaḥ (discipline/austerity).