Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

भर्तृयज्ञ उवाच । दुर्लभं भूमिपालत्वं सर्वपापैर्नराधिप । तपोभिर्नियमैर्दानैस्तथान्यैश्च शुभैर्व्रतैः

Transliteration

bhartṛyajña uvāca | durlabhaṃ bhūmipālatvaṃ sarvapāpairnarādhipa | tapobhirniyamairdānaistathānyaiśca śubhairvrataiḥ

Translation

भर्तृयज्ञ म्हणाला—हे नराधिप! पापांनी ग्रस्त जनास भूमिपालत्व दुर्लभ आहे. तप, नियम, दान तसेच इतर शुभ व्रतांनीच ते प्राप्त होते.

Word by Word

• भर्तृयज्ञः: Bhartṛyajña (name)
• भर्तृयज्ञः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृयज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• दुर्लभम्: rare, difficult to obtain
• दुर्लभम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• भूमिपालत्वम्: kingship, the state of being a ruler of the earth
• भूमिपालत्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि + पाल + त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘भूमेः पालः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष + त्व-प्रत्यय (abstract noun)

• सर्वपापैः: by/with all sins
• सर्वपापैः: Hetu/Karana (Instrument/Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘सर्वाणि पापानि’

• नराधिप: O lord of men, O king
• नराधिप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; ‘नराणाम् अधिपः’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• तपोभिः: by austerities
• तपोभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• नियमैः: by observances, restraints
• नियमैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• दानैः: by gifts, donations
• दानैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• तथा: and also, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—समुच्चय/उपपद (adverb: ‘also/likewise’)

• अन्यैः: by other
• अन्यैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण (शुभैः/व्रतैः सह)

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

• शुभैः: auspicious, good
• शुभैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण (व्रतैः)

• व्रतैः: by vows, religious observances
• व्रतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

Speaker

Bhartṛyajña

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sage Bhartṛyajña instructs the king: a visual sequence of tapas (fire-austerity), niyama (disciplined conduct), dāna (gifting), and vrata (fasting/ritual observance) surrounding the central teaching figure.

Characters & Entities

• Bhartṛyajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Legitimate authority is rooted in inner discipline and generosity; dharma precedes dominion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single site is named in this verse; it functions as general dharma-teaching within the ongoing tīrtha-māhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Practice tapas (austerity), niyama (restraints), dāna (charity), and śubha-vratas (holy vows).