Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

तापस उवाच । वयं व्रतधराः सुभ्रु ब्रह्मचर्यपरायणाः । मूर्खाः कामविधौ भद्रे निरताः शिवशासने

Transliteration

tāpasa uvāca | vayaṃ vratadharāḥ subhru brahmacaryaparāyaṇāḥ | mūrkhāḥ kāmavidhau bhadre niratāḥ śivaśāsane

Translation

തപസ്വി പറഞ്ഞു: ഹേ സുന്ദരീ, ഞങ്ങൾ വ്രതധാരികളും ബ്രഹ്മചര്യം പാലിക്കുന്നവരുമാണ്. ഭദ്രേ, കാമകാര്യങ്ങളിൽ ഞങ്ങൾ അജ്ഞരാണ്, ശിവന്റെ ശാസനത്തിൽ മാത്രം മുഴുകിയിരിക്കുന്നവരാണ്.

Word by Word

• तापसः: the ascetic
• तापसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तापस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन

• व्रतधराः: vow-observers
• व्रतधराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत-धर (प्रातिपदिक; धर = कृदन्त from √धृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (व्रतं धरन्ति)

• सुभ्रु: O fair-browed lady
• सुभ्रु: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुभ्रू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मचर्यपरायणाः: devoted to celibacy
• ब्रह्मचर्यपरायणाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मचर्य-परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (वयम्); तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मचर्ये परायणाः)

• मूर्खाः: foolish
• मूर्खाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूर्ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (वयम्)

• कामविधौ: in the ways/ritual of desire
• कामविधौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम-विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कामस्य विधिः)

• भद्रे: O good lady
• भद्रे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• निरताः: engaged, devoted
• निरताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √रम् with नि-)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (वयम्)

• शिवशासने: in Śiva’s command/teaching
• शिवशासने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-शासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य शासनम्)

Speaker

Tāpasa (ascetic)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: the woman (sūbhrū/bhadrā addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The ascetic speaks with composed authority, palms in a gentle ‘stop’ gesture; the woman’s urgency meets a wall of calm vow-bound discipline; Śiva’s presence is implied through symbols (tripuṇḍra, rudrākṣa).

Characters & Entities

• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

For Śiva’s devotees, vow-keeping—especially brahmacarya—is a defining discipline; spiritual authority is shown through restraint, not indulgence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha framework is chapter-wide, but no particular site name appears in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Brahmacarya is affirmed as a central vrata; the verse implies adherence to Śaiva discipline rather than describing a ceremonial act.