Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

मुक्त्वैकां द्विजशुश्रूषा न शूद्रास्तत्र चक्रिरे । किंचित्कर्म सुरश्रेष्ठ श्रद्धया परया युताः

Transliteration

muktvaikāṃ dvijaśuśrūṣā na śūdrāstatra cakrire | kiṃcitkarma suraśreṣṭha śraddhayā parayā yutāḥ

Translation

ദ്വിജശുശ്രൂഷയെ ഒഴികെ അവിടെ ശൂദ്രർ മറ്റൊരു കർമവും ചെയ്തില്ല; ഹേ ദേവശ്രേഷ്ഠാ, പരമശ്രദ്ധയോടെ അവർ അല്പം കർത്തവ്യങ്ങൾ മാത്രമേ നിർവഹിച്ചുള്ളൂ।

Word by Word

• मुक्त्वा: having abandoned/excepting
• मुक्त्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• एकाम्: one (single)
• एकाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम्—(द्विजशुश्रूषाम्)

• द्विजशुश्रूषाम्: service to the twice-born (Brahmins etc.)
• द्विजशुश्रूषाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज-शुश्रूषा (प्रातिपदिक; components: द्विज + शुश्रूषा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• शूद्राः: the Śūdras
• शूद्राः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• चक्रिरे: did/performed
• चक्रिरे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural); आत्मनेपदम्

• किंचित्: some, a little
• किंचित्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किंचित् (सर्वनाम/अव्ययप्राय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); अनिश्चितपरिमाणवाचक (indefinite)

• कर्म: work, act
• कर्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• सुरश्रेष्ठ: O best of gods
• सुरश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर-श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; components: सुर + श्रेष्ठ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• परया: supreme, highest
• परया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम्—श्रद्धया

• युताः: endowed (with)
• युताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यु (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम्—शूद्राः

Speaker

Unspecified (addressing a deity as listener: “suraśreṣṭha”)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Indra (Surasreṣṭha)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A quiet āśrama-like setting where attendants offer water, seats, and ritual support to dvijas; faces show reverence and focused faith; minimal possessions emphasize restraint.

Characters & Entities

• Suraśreṣṭha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The text portrays a realm where duties are performed with śraddhā and restraint, emphasizing order and devotion as signs of holiness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The excerpt does not specify a named shrine; it continues the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya’s praise of the sacred region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed; the verse highlights service (śuśrūṣā) and faith (śraddhā) as core virtues.