Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

एते ब्राह्मणशार्दूला विनाशं यांति मत्कृते । एषोऽपि सर्वसंसिद्धो गणतुल्यो द्विजोत्तमः

Transliteration

ete brāhmaṇaśārdūlā vināśaṃ yāṃti matkṛte | eṣo'pi sarvasaṃsiddho gaṇatulyo dvijottamaḥ

Translation

“Para Brāhmaṇa yang gagah laksana harimau ini akan menuju kebinasaan kerana aku. Dan Brāhmaṇa yang utama ini juga—yang telah sempurna segala siddhi—telah menjadi sebanding dengan suatu gaṇa Śiva.”

Word by Word

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• ब्राह्मणशार्दूलाः: tiger-like Brahmins (eminent Brahmins)
• ब्राह्मणशार्दूलाः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + शार्दूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (ब्राह्मणाः एव शार्दूलाः)

• विनाशम्: destruction
• विनाशम्: Gati-karma (Goal/Object of motion/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• यान्ति: go/are going
• यान्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• मत्कृते: for my sake/because of me
• मत्कृते: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मत् (अस्मद्-षष्ठी एकवचन-रूप) + कृते (कृ धातु; क्त-प्रत्यय; अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव (मत् + कृते), अर्थे हेतौ (for my sake/because of me)

• एषः: this (one)
• एषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-भाव

• सर्वसंसिद्धः: fully accomplished in all respects
• सर्वसंसिद्धः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + संसिद्ध (सिद्ध प्रातिपदिक; सम्-उपसर्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सर्वेषु संसिद्धः = accomplished in all)

• गणतुल्यः: equal to a gaṇa (attendant of Śiva)
• गणतुल्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक) + तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (गणेन तुल्यः)

• द्विजोत्तमः: best of the twice-born (excellent Brahmin)
• द्विजोत्तमः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (द्विजेषु उत्तमः)

Speaker

Maheśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva speaks with sorrowful gravity, gesturing toward brāhmaṇas endangered by circumstances; beside them stands an accomplished brāhmaṇa radiating siddhi, subtly depicted with gaṇa-like aura.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara
• Brāhmaṇas
• Dwijottama
• Gaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the divine takes responsibility for protecting dharma and the welfare of Brāhmaṇas; spiritual power must never become a cause of others’ harm.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya context, praising a protective kṣetra where tīrthas gather for safety (the exact place-name is not stated in this single verse).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual (snāna, dāna, japa) is prescribed here; the focus is on dharmic protection and the status of a perfected Brāhmaṇa.