Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

अशक्त्या हि शरीरस्य नियमानां कथं चरेत् । व्रतं हि सुकुमारांगो दानैर्वापि वदस्व नः

Transliteration

aśaktyā hi śarīrasya niyamānāṃ kathaṃ caret | vrataṃ hi sukumārāṃgo dānairvāpi vadasva naḥ

Translation

ശരീരം ദുർബലമായാൽ കഠിനനിയമങ്ങൾ എങ്ങനെ അനുഷ്ഠിക്കാം? അതിനാൽ സുകുമാരദേഹികൾക്കു യോജ്യമായ വ്രതമോ, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ദാനധർമ്മമാർഗമോ ഞങ്ങളോട് പറയുക।

Word by Word

• aśaktyā: due to inability
• aśaktyā: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (Instrumental singular); हेतौ (because of)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः (emphatic particle)

• śarīrasya: of the body
• śarīrasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (Genitive singular)

• niyamānām: of the rules (observances)
• niyamānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (Genitive plural)

• katham: how
• katham: Sambandha (Interrogative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्ययम् (interrogative adverb)

• caret: should one practice/perform
• caret: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• vratam: a vow
• vratam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (Accusative singular)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः (emphatic particle)

• sukumārāṅgaḥ: O one with a delicate body
• sukumārāṅgaḥ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su-kumāra-aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (Nominative singular); संबोधनार्थे/कर्ता-रूपे प्रयोगः

• dānaiḥ: by gifts; through donations
• dānaiḥ: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (Instrumental plural)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्ययम् (disjunctive particle)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-निपातः (also/even)

• vadasva: tell; speak
• vadasva: Kriya (Request/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vad (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

• naḥ: to us
• naḥ: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (Gen/Dat plural); अत्र चतुर्थी (to us)

Speaker

Ṛṣis (sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: pilgrims/ṛṣis (inquisitors)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-assembly respectfully questions the narrator about a gentle vow for the weak-bodied; the atmosphere is compassionate and instructional, with ascetics and householders listening.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣis
• Vrata
• Niyama
• Dāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma accommodates human limitation: when austerities are difficult, suitable vratas and dāna provide an accessible path of merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tirtha is named in this verse; it focuses on practical dharma and eligibility.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It requests guidance on a manageable vrata and/or merit through dāna (charitable giving) for those unable to keep strict niyamas.