Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

वृथा पर्यटनं नित्यं कच्चिन्न परमंदिरे । त्वं करोषि विशालाक्षि विशेषेण निशागमे

Transliteration

vṛthā paryaṭanaṃ nityaṃ kaccinna paramaṃdire | tvaṃ karoṣi viśālākṣi viśeṣeṇa niśāgame

Translation

ഹേ വിശാലാക്ഷി! നീ നിത്യവും വ്യർത്ഥമായി അലഞ്ഞുതിരിയുന്നതിൽ നിന്ന്—വിശേഷിച്ച് രാത്രികാലത്ത്—മഹാമന്ദിരത്തിന്റെ പവിത്രപരിധിക്ക് പുറത്തു—വിരമിക്കുന്നുവോ?

Word by Word

• वृथा: in vain, uselessly
• वृथा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वृथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb)

• पर्यटनम्: wandering, roaming
• पर्यटनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्यटन (प्रातिपदिक; √टन् (धातु) + परि- उपसर्ग, भाववाचक-नपुंसक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative singular)

• नित्यम्: always, constantly
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण/adverb of time)

• कच्चित्: is it the case that…? (I hope)
• कच्चित्: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (प्रश्नार्थक निपात/interrogative particle)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध/negation particle)

• परम-आन्दिरे: in the best/lofty temple
• परम-आन्दिरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + आन्दिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter, locative singular); समासः कर्मधारयः (परमम् आन्दिरम्)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (pronoun, nominative singular)

• करोषि: you do
• करोषि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान/present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (2nd person singular)

• विशालाक्षि: O wide-eyed one
• विशालाक्षि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशाल (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन (feminine vocative singular); समासः बहुव्रीहिः (विशालानि अक्षी यस्याः)

• विशेषेण: especially, in particular
• विशेषेण: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (instrumental singular; used adverbially)

• निशा-आगमे: at the coming of night, at nightfall
• निशा-आगमे: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक) + आगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (locative singular); समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (निशायाः आगमे)

Speaker

Unspecified (Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya didactic voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lamplit temple complex at night; a concerned elder/guardian addresses a wide-eyed woman near the gateway, gesturing toward the sanctum and the safe inner courtyard, discouraging aimless wandering beyond the sacred boundary.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha-life is supported by discipline and restraint; sacred spaces call for mindful, dignified conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A ‘parama-mandira’ (great temple) is referenced generally; no particular tīrtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A behavioral injunction: avoid purposeless wandering, particularly at night, in/around the temple area.