Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

स योगी ब्रह्मरूपेण जीवन्नेव समाप्यते । अज्ञानी बाध्यते नित्यं कर्मभिर्बंधनात्मकैः

Transliteration

sa yogī brahmarūpeṇa jīvanneva samāpyate | ajñānī bādhyate nityaṃ karmabhirbaṃdhanātmakaiḥ

Translation

ആ യോഗി ജീവിച്ചിരിക്കെ തന്നെ ബ്രഹ്മരൂപത്തിൽ പരിപൂർണ്ണനാകുന്നു; എന്നാൽ അജ്ഞാനി ബന്ധനസ്വഭാവമുള്ള കർമ്മങ്ങളാൽ നിത്യം ബന്ധിതനായി പീഡിതനാകുന്നു.

Word by Word

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

• योगी: the yogin
• योगी: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मरूपेण: in the form of Brahman
• ब्रह्मरूपेण: Karana (Instrument/means; also manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म-रूप (प्रातिपदिक; ब्रह्मन् + रूप)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• जीवन्: living
• जीवन्: Karta (Participial qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु) + शतृ (प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (Emphatic particle)

• समाप्यते: is completed/comes to an end
• समाप्यते: Kriya (Predicate action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (passive-like: 'comes to completion')

• अज्ञानी: the ignorant person
• अज्ञानी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-ज्ञानिन् (प्रातिपदिक; अ + ज्ञानिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• बाध्यते: is bound/afflicted
• बाध्यते: Kriya (Predicate action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बाध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb)

• कर्मभिः: by actions (deeds)
• कर्मभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• बन्धनात्मकैः: of the nature of bondage
• बन्धनात्मकैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बन्धन-आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक; बन्धन + आत्मक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (कर्मभिः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya didactic narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two contrasted figures: a luminous, tranquil yogin seated in meditation with a subtle Brahman-aura; beside him an agitated householder entangled in chains labeled 'karma', symbolizing bondage born of ignorance.

Characters & Entities

• Brahman

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Knowledge liberates even in embodied life (jīvanmukti), while ignorance makes karma a chain.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is named; the verse supports the Mahātmya’s broader aim of guiding seekers toward liberation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the emphasis is on jñāna (spiritual knowledge) and the karmic consequences of ignorance.