Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

उपकारप्रदानं च यत्किंचित्तस्य संमतम् । अन्यस्मिन्दिवसे शूद्रः स पिता पूर्वजन्मनः । तस्य पञ्चत्वमापन्नः संप्राप्ते चायुषः क्षये

Transliteration

upakārapradānaṃ ca yatkiṃcittasya saṃmatam | anyasmindivase śūdraḥ sa pitā pūrvajanmanaḥ | tasya pañcatvamāpannaḥ saṃprāpte cāyuṣaḥ kṣaye

Translation

അവനു ഹിതകരവും അവൻ സമ്മതിക്കുന്നതുമായ സഹായം ഏതായാലും അവൻ നൽകി. പിന്നെ മറ്റൊരു ദിവസം, പൂർവ്വജന്മത്തിൽ അവന്റെ പിതാവായിരുന്ന ആ ശൂദ്രൻ ആയുസ്സിന്റെ അവസാനം വന്നപ്പോൾ മരണത്തെ പ്രാപിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• उपकार-प्रदानम्: giving of help
• उपकार-प्रदानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपकार (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘उपकारप्रदान’ = उपकारस्य प्रदानम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

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

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• किंचित्: something/anything
• किंचित्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंचित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अनिश्चितपरिमाणवाचक

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

• संमतम्: approved/acceptable
• संमतम्: Kriya (Predicate adjective/विशेषण-क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-मन् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘approved/agreeable’

• अन्यस्मिन्: on another
• अन्यस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषण

• दिवसे: day
• दिवसे: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• शूद्रः: the Śūdra
• शूद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• पिता: father
• पिता: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पूर्व-जन्मनः: of the previous birth
• पूर्व-जन्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘पूर्वजन्मन्’ = पूर्वं जन्म (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रयोग), here genitive ‘of the former birth’

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

• पञ्चत्वम्: death (pañcatva)
• पञ्चत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आपन्नः: fell into/attained
• आपन्नः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-पद् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सम्-प्राप्ते: when (it) had come
• सम्-प्राप्ते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle) used as locative absolute; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — ‘when (it) had arrived’

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

• आयुषः: of life
• आयुषः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• क्षये: at the end/decay
• क्षये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Tīrthamāhātmya; likely Skanda)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A poignant reveal: the supported śūdra is understood as the former father; soon after, he dies at lifespan’s end. The benefactor’s steady assistance is shown as fulfilled duty amid impermanence.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Obligation and gratitude can transcend a single lifetime; death is certain, so one should complete duties of care while time remains.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting remains within a Nāgarakhaṇḍa Māhātmya; this verse itself does not name the tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Practical ‘upakāra’ (acts of benefit) is highlighted; formal post-death rites are introduced in the following verse.