Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 92

Devanagari script

स्वस्वभावविहीनानि हीनानि च तथा जलैः । कुत्सिता मंत्रवादा ये कुत्सिताश्च तपस्विनः

Transliteration

svasvabhāvavihīnāni hīnāni ca tathā jalaiḥ | kutsitā maṃtravādā ye kutsitāśca tapasvinaḥ

Translation

ആ യുഗത്തിൽ ജനങ്ങൾ സ്വന്തം സ്വഭാവവും അന്തഃസംയമവും നഷ്ടപ്പെടുത്തി, ജലത്തിൽപോലും ശുദ്ധി ക്ഷയിക്കും. മന്ത്രവ്യാപാരികൾ നീചനാകും; തപസ്വികളും നിന്ദ്യരാകും.

Word by Word

• स्वस्वभावविहीनानि: devoid of their own nature
• स्वस्वभावविहीनानि: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व + स्वभाव + विहीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (svasvabhāvasya vihīna)

• हीनानि: inferior, diminished
• हीनानि: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connective/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connective/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• जलैः: by waters
• जलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• कुत्सिताः: despicable
• कुत्सिताः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुत्सित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• मन्त्रवादाः: mantra-doctrines/reciters
• मन्त्रवादाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र + वाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• ये: who, which
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• कुत्सिताः: despicable
• कुत्सिताः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुत्सित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connective/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक

• तपस्विनः: ascetics
• तपस्विनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

Bṛhaspati

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A marketplace-like ghat where ‘mantra-sellers’ bargain; ascetics appear disheveled and quarrelsome; water jars look tainted; a sage’s gaze is sorrowful as he describes the loss of svabhāva.

Characters & Entities

• Bṛhaspati

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma declines, even sacred disciplines (mantra and tapas) can be misused; inner character is the true measure of spiritual life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse functions as yuga-dharma teaching within the Tīrthamāhātmya context; no single tirtha is explicitly named in the verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; it warns against degraded mantra-trade and loss of purity.