Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

ततः स स्वसुतं प्राह नैव त्वं कर्तुमर्हसि । यच्छ दानानि विप्रेभ्यस्तीर्थयात्रां समाचर

Transliteration

tataḥ sa svasutaṃ prāha naiva tvaṃ kartumarhasi | yaccha dānāni viprebhyastīrthayātrāṃ samācara

Translation

അപ്പോൾ അദ്ദേഹം തന്റെ പുത്രനോട് പറഞ്ഞു—“നീ അത് ഒരിക്കലും ചെയ്യരുത്. ബ്രാഹ്മണർക്കു ദാനങ്ങൾ നൽകി, തീർത്ഥയാത്ര ആചരിക്ക.”

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then/thereupon)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (pronoun: he)

• sva-sutam: his own son
• sva-sutam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (accusative singular); समासः—स्व + सुत (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘स्वस्य सुतः’)

• prāha: said
• prāha: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-āh (अह्/आह् धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (perfect, 3rd sg)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• eva: indeed/at all
• eva: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle ‘indeed/just’)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन (2nd person pronoun, nominative singular)

• kartum: to do
• kartum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), ‘कर्तुम्’ (to do)

• arhasi: are fit/ought
• arhasi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arh (अर्ह् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन (present indicative, 2nd sg)

• yaccha: give
• yaccha: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yam (यम् धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन (imperative, 2nd sg); धात्वादेश/रूप—यच्छ (give)

• dānāni: gifts/charities
• dānāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (accusative plural)

• viprebhyaḥ: to Brahmins
• viprebhyaḥ: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (dative plural)

• tīrthayātrām: pilgrimage
• tīrthayātrām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrthayātrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (accusative singular); समासः—तीर्थ + यात्रा (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘तीर्थस्य यात्रा’)

• samācara: undertake/practise
• samācara: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-car (चर् धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन (imperative, 2nd sg); उपसर्गः—सम् + आ

Speaker

Father (within the narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Generic tīrtha-yātrā (not specified)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: svasuta (son)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A father counsels his son: do not attempt the forbidden act; instead, offer gifts to brāhmaṇas and set out on pilgrimage—shown with travel staff, water pot, and a line of tīrtha markers.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purification is supported by constructive dharma—charity, humility, and sacred pilgrimage—rather than self-harm.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse recommends tīrtha-yātrā in general; the specific sites are part of the wider Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna to brāhmaṇas and undertaking tīrtha-yātrā (pilgrimage) as a dhārmic remedy.