Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

यद्यपीष्टो हि यस्यार्थो न कार्यं परपीडनम् । जगत्सर्वं सुतप्रायं तवास्ति वरवर्णिनि

Transliteration

yadyapīṣṭo hi yasyārtho na kāryaṃ parapīḍanam | jagatsarvaṃ sutaprāyaṃ tavāsti varavarṇini

Translation

“ആഗ്രഹിച്ച ലക്ഷ്യം തന്നെയായാലും മറ്റുള്ളവരെ പീഡിപ്പിക്കരുത്. ഹേ വരവർണിനി, ഈ സമസ്ത ലോകവും നിനക്കു പുത്രപ്രായമാണ്.”

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध-निपात (conditional particle)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (concessive/also)

• इष्टः: desired
• इष्टः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष्ट (कृदन्त; इष् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Of/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक-सर्वनाम

• अर्थः: purpose, aim
• अर्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• कार्यम्: to be done
• कार्यम्: Vidheya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (कृदन्त; कृ धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; कर्तव्य-अर्थ (gerundive)

• परपीडनम्: hurting others
• परपीडनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर + पीडन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (परस्य पीडनम्)

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सर्वम्: entire
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सुतप्रायम्: like a son, as good as a son
• सुतप्रायम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुत + प्राय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; उपमान-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयार्थ (सुत इव प्रायम् = almost like a son)

• तव: your
• तव: Shashthi-Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अस्ति: is
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वरवर्णिनि: O fair-complexioned lady
• वरवर्णिनि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर + वर्णिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (वरः वर्णः यस्याः सा)

Speaker

Hara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva reminds Devī: even for a cherished objective, do not hurt others; the whole world is like her child—an intimate, maternal cosmic vision.

Characters & Entities

• Hara (Śiva)
• Devī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ends do not justify harm; dharma restrains even justified desire, insisting on non-injury and compassionate guardianship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it is a general dharmic teaching placed within a tīrtha-mahātmya chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the instruction is moral (avoid harming others).