Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

स्नेहेन महता युक्तः कृतकौतुकमंगलः । रक्षमाणो वने चैनां श्वापदेभ्यः प्रयत्नतः

Transliteration

snehena mahatā yuktaḥ kṛtakautukamaṃgalaḥ | rakṣamāṇo vane caināṃ śvāpadebhyaḥ prayatnataḥ

Translation

മഹാസ്നേഹത്തോടെ കൂടെ, അവൾക്കായി മംഗള-രക്ഷാ കർമ്മങ്ങൾ നടത്തി, വനത്തിൽ കാട്ടുമൃഗങ്ങളിൽ നിന്ന് അവളെ പരിശ്രമത്തോടെ കാത്തു.

Word by Word

• स्नेहेन: with affection
• स्नेहेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); एकवचन

• महता: great
• महता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); एकवचन; विशेषण (स्नेहेन)

• युक्तः: endowed/connected
• युक्तः: Karta (Predicate participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; स्नेहेन सह संबद्ध (endowed)

• कृत-कौतुक-मङ्गलः: having performed auspicious rites/ceremonies
• कृत-कौतुक-मङ्गलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + कौतुक + मङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (kṛta qualifying the compound); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; विशेषण (मुनिः/सः)

• रक्षमाणः: protecting
• रक्षमाणः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative); एकवचन

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

• एनाम्: her
• एनाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• श्वापदेभ्यः: from wild beasts
• श्वापदेभ्यः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वापद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे बहुधा नपुं); पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative); बहुवचन; अपादान (from)

• प्रयत्नतः: with effort, diligently
• प्रयत्नतः: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb); प्रकारार्थ (with effort)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic storyteller; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Devarātāśrama-vana

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sage performs simple auspicious rites—tying a protective thread/amulet—then stands watch with staff, shielding the child from prowling beasts at the forest edge.

Characters & Entities

• Muni
• Śvāpada (wild beasts)
• Maṅgala (auspicious rite)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Affection grounded in dharma expresses itself as active protection and auspicious conduct, even amid hardship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader tīrtha-māhātmya frame remains; this verse emphasizes āśrama-protection rather than the site’s name.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Auspicious protective observances (kautuka/maṅgala) are referenced generally, without detailed procedure.