Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

तीर्थयात्रां व्रतं दानं नियमं संयमं तथा । परलोकमभीप्संतस्तत्र कुर्वंति मानवाः

Transliteration

tīrthayātrāṃ vrataṃ dānaṃ niyamaṃ saṃyamaṃ tathā | paralokamabhīpsaṃtastatra kurvaṃti mānavāḥ

Translation

അവിടെ മനുഷ്യർ പരലോകം ആഗ്രഹിച്ച് തീർത്ഥയാത്ര, വ്രതം, ദാനം, നിയമം, സംയമം എന്നിവ അനുഷ്ഠിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• तीर्थ-यात्राम्: pilgrimage to a sacred place
• तीर्थ-यात्राम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक) + yātrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (तीर्थस्य यात्रा); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (Feminine; accusative singular)

• व्रतम्: vow
• व्रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (Neuter; accusative singular)

• दानम्: gift, charity
• दानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (Neuter; accusative singular)

• नियमम्: observance, rule
• नियमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (Masculine; accusative singular)

• संयमम्: self-restraint
• संयमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (Masculine; accusative singular)

• तथा: and also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक (indeclinable: “also/likewise”)

• पर-लोकम्: the next world
• पर-लोकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (परः लोकः); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (Masculine; accusative singular)

• अभीप्सन्तः: desiring
• अभीप्सन्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhi-√āp (आप्) + ipsant (कृदन्त; इच्छार्थे शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि कृदन्त (active present participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन (Masculine; nominative plural)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• कुर्वन्ति: do, perform
• कुर्वन्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ)
• Form: लट् (present); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन (3rd person plural)

• मानवाः: people, humans
• मानवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन (Masculine; nominative plural)

Speaker

Bṛhaspati (implied narration to Indra in this adhyāya’s dialogue context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: tirtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims arriving at a sacred ford with water pots; some taking vows before elders, others giving alms; ascetic figures practicing restraint; a calm, purposeful procession toward the holy place.

Characters & Entities

• Tīrtha
• Vrata
• Dāna
• Niyama
• Saṃyama
• Paraloka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is not merely travel; it is paired with vows, charity, discipline, and self-control to orient life toward dharma and the hereafter.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A tīrtha within Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya is implied; the precise site is not specified in this single verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tīrthayātrā (pilgrimage), vrata (vows), dāna (charity), niyama (religious discipline), and saṃyama (self-restraint).