Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

अन्यान्यपि शरीरस्य रक्षणार्थं प्रयत्नतः । तथैव योधमुख्यानां विशेषाद्द्विजसत्तमाः

Transliteration

anyānyapi śarīrasya rakṣaṇārthaṃ prayatnataḥ | tathaiva yodhamukhyānāṃ viśeṣāddvijasattamāḥ

Translation

शरीररक्षणासाठी त्यांनी आणखीही अनेक उपाय मोठ्या प्रयत्नाने केले—विशेषतः अग्रगण्य योद्ध्यांसाठी, हे द्विजश्रेष्ठा।

Word by Word

• अन्यानि: other
• अन्यानि: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन — विशेषण

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात) — 'also/even'

• शरीरस्य: of the body
• शरीरस्य: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• रक्षणार्थम्: for protection
• रक्षणार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षण + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (उद्देश्य/प्रयोजन), एकवचन — तत्पुरुषः (रक्षणस्य अर्थः)

• प्रयत्नतः: with effort, diligently
• प्रयत्नतः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रयत्नतः (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त क्रियाविशेषण) — 'with effort/diligently'

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connective)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — 'thus/likewise'

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण) — 'indeed/just'

• योधमुख्यानाम्: of the chief warriors
• योधमुख्यानाम्: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योध + मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन — तत्पुरुषः (योधानां मुख्याः)

• विशेषात्: especially, in particular
• विशेषात्: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचन — 'especially/from distinction'

• द्विजसत्तमाः: the best of the twice-born (brahmins)
• द्विजसत्तमाः: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — कर्मधारयः (द्विजाः सत्तमाः)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced; vocative to dvija-sattama indicates narration to sages)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijasattama (addressed interlocutor)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas fitting elite warriors with layered protections—arm-guards, breastplates, talismans—while counselors instruct and attendants prepare medicines and supplies.

Characters & Entities

• Dvija-sattama (sages/audience)
• Yodha-mukhya (chief warriors)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma values prudent safeguarding of life; protection and responsibility accompany courage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it refers generally to protective arrangements.