Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

ते सम्बन्धैः सुसंबद्धाः पित्रा धर्मार्थदर्शिना । तत्पत्न्यो मातृपित्रर्चां कारयंत्यनिवारितम्

Transliteration

te sambandhaiḥ susaṃbaddhāḥ pitrā dharmārthadarśinā | tatpatnyo mātṛpitrarcāṃ kārayaṃtyanivāritam

Translation

ധർമ്മവും അർത്ഥവും അറിയുന്ന പിതാവ് അവരെ യോജ്യബന്ധങ്ങളാൽ നന്നായി ബന്ധിപ്പിച്ചു. അവരുടെ ഭാര്യമാർ മാതാപിതാക്കളുടെ പൂജയും ആദരവും നിരന്തരം, തടസ്സമില്ലാതെ നടത്തി.

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• सम्बन्धैः: by relationships/kinship ties
• सम्बन्धैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्बन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; करण (instrumental)

• सुसम्बद्धाः: well-connected, firmly bound
• सुसम्बद्धाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + सम्बद्ध (कृदन्त; √बन्ध् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण

• पित्रा: by the father
• पित्रा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• धर्मार्थदर्शिना: who sees (what is) dharma and artha
• धर्मार्थदर्शिना: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (धर्मश्च अर्थश्च) + तत्पुरुषः (तयोः दर्शिन्)

• तत्पत्न्यः: his wives
• तत्पत्न्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तस्य पत्न्यः)

• मातृपित्रर्चाम्: worship of mother and father
• मातृपित्रर्चाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक) + पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (माता+पिता) + तत्पुरुषः (तयोः अर्चा)

• कारयन्ति: they cause to be done / arrange
• कारयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु) णिच् (causative)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; णिजन्त (causative)

• अनिवारितम्: without obstruction, unimpededly
• अनिवारितम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनिवारित (कृदन्त; निवारित—√वृ/√वार् धातु, क्त; न-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्ययीभूतं (adverbial use of past participle); अर्थः—अप्रतिबद्धम्

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgara-khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Newly married daughters-in-law performing daily honor to mother and father—offering flowers, lamps, water, and respectful salutations—while the father who arranged alliances looks on as a dharma-artha seer.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Household dharma is sustained collectively—parents, children, and spouses—through ongoing reverence and service.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this verse; it describes the dharmic environment that supports tīrtha-oriented merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Regular honoring/worship of parents (mātṛpitṛ-arcā) is indicated as a continuing practice.