Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । तस्य तं निश्चयं ज्ञात्वा दयावान्स मुनीश्वरः । वृथाश्रमं च तं ज्ञात्वा दाक्षिण्यादिदमब्रवीत्

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | tasya taṃ niścayaṃ jñātvā dayāvānsa munīśvaraḥ | vṛthāśramaṃ ca taṃ jñātvā dākṣiṇyādidamabravīt

Translation

സൂതൻ പറഞ്ഞു—അവന്റെ ദൃഢനിശ്ചയം അറിഞ്ഞ്, കരുണാമയനായ മുനീശ്വരൻ—അവന്റെ പരിശ്രമം വ്യർത്ഥമാകാതിരിക്കണമെന്ന് മനസ്സിലാക്കി—സൗജന്യത്തോടെ ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Speech/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तम्: that
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निश्चयम्: decision / resolve
• निश्चयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निश्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), अर्थः—‘having known’

• दयावान्: compassionate
• दयावान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दयावत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• मुनीश्वरः: the lord of sages
• मुनीश्वरः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘मुनीनां ईश्वरः’ (lord of sages)

• वृथाश्रमम्: vain effort
• वृथाश्रमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृथा + श्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘वृथैव श्रमः’ (vain effort)

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

• तम्: that (it)
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ज्ञात्वा: having understood
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + त्वा
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive)

• दाक्षिण्यात्: out of kindness
• दाक्षिण्यात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दाक्षिण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; अर्थः—‘दाक्षिण्येन/दाक्षिण्यात्’ (out of kindness)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Speech/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta (narrator)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and/or Naimiṣāraṇya ṛṣis (implied Purāṇic frame; not explicit in verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sūta as narrator in a recitation hall (or forest assembly) describes the sage’s compassionate recognition of the king’s resolve; the sage begins to speak, calming the atmosphere.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A true sage responds with compassion and practical guidance, preventing despair and wasted effort.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tirtha is named in this verse; it functions as narrative linkage within the Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it highlights the dharma of compassionate counsel.