Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

निर्ममो निरहंकारो मम त्वं मानसः सुतः । क्रमान्मया तु तेषां वै वेदरक्षार्थमेव च

Transliteration

nirmamo nirahaṃkāro mama tvaṃ mānasaḥ sutaḥ | kramānmayā tu teṣāṃ vai vedarakṣārthameva ca

Translation

Tanpa rasa memiliki dan tanpa keakuan, engkau ialah puteraku yang lahir daripada minda. Menurut tertibnya, aku menempatkan engkau di antara mereka, sesungguhnya demi menjaga dan memelihara Veda.

Word by Word

• निर्ममः: without possessiveness
• निर्ममः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-मम (प्रातिपदिक; निर् + मम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; निः-उपसर्गयुक्त (free from ‘mine-ness’)

• निरहंकारः: without ego
• निरहंकारः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-अहंकार (प्रातिपदिक; निर् + अहंकार)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मानसः: mind-born, mental
• मानसः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सुतः इति विशेषण

• सुतः: son
• सुतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• क्रमात्: in order, gradually
• क्रमात्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोग; पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (in due order/gradually)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr̥/Agent (by whom)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• तु: but
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात (but/indeed)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis)

• वेदरक्षार्थम्: for the protection of the Veda
• वेदरक्षार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद-रक्षा-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; वेद + रक्षा + अर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनवाचक

• एव: only, indeed
• एव: Discourse particle (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (restrictive particle)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

Speaker

Brahmā (addressing Nārada)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nārada

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Creator confers a charge upon a serene, youthful mind-born son: a bundle of Vedas (palm-leaf manuscripts) is offered; the son stands with folded hands, haloed, embodying humility and egolessness.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Nārada
• Vedas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Humility and egolessness qualify a seeker to become a guardian of sacred knowledge and a bearer of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named in this verse; it undergirds tīrtha-māhātmya by emphasizing the protection and transmission of Vedic sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed; the duty highlighted is veda-rakṣā—preserving sacred revelation.