Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

न कार्यः शपथस्तस्मात्तस्याग्रेऽपि लघुर्द्विजाः । अपि हास्योपचारेण आत्मनः सुखमिच्छता

Transliteration

na kāryaḥ śapathastasmāttasyāgre'pi laghurdvijāḥ | api hāsyopacāreṇa ātmanaḥ sukhamicchatā

Translation

Oleh itu, wahai para dvija (brāhmaṇa), janganlah membuat sumpah, dan jangan pula memperlakukannya dengan ringan di hadapannya. Bahkan sebagai gurauan sekalipun, orang yang menginginkan kesejahteraan dirinya hendaklah menahan diri.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• कार्यः: to be done; should be performed
• कार्यः: Karma (Object/Predicate complement/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √कृ (धातु) → कार्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण; भाव्य/अनिवार्य-अर्थे (gerundive/तव्यत्-समर्थ)

• शपथः: an oath
• शपथः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शपथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore; from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source/हेतु-अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; हेतौ/अपादाने (therefore/from that)

• तस्य: of him; his
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• अग्रे: in front; before
• अग्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगे सप्तमी-एकवचनरूपम्; देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: 'in front')

• अपि: even; also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अप्यर्थ-निपात (also/even)

• लघुः: light; trivial; slight
• लघुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लघु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• द्विजाः: O twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजाः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थे प्रथमा-बहुवचन-प्रयोगः (vocative sense)

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

• हास्य-उपचारेण: by joking treatment; by mockery
• हास्य-उपचारेण: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हास्य (प्रातिपदिक) + उपचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (हास्यस्य उपचारः); करण-अर्थे

• आत्मनः: of oneself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• सुखम्: happiness; comfort
• सुखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• इच्छता: by (a person) desiring
• इच्छता: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √इष् (धातु) → इच्छत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ-प्रत्यय); कर्तरि; 'by one who desires'

Speaker

Narrative voice (contextual Purāṇic instruction; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in Tīrthamāhātmya frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śiva-gaṅgā / Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvijāḥ / brāhmaṇas addressed within the narration

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmins counsel a gathered group near the tīrtha: hands raised in instruction, warning against oaths and jesting; the mute jester stands as living proof.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A seeker should avoid careless oaths and disrespectful speech; self-welfare is protected by disciplined, reverent conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction occurs within the Nāgara Khaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya context connected to Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra and the Śivagaṅgā Māhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed here; it is a behavioral dharma rule—avoid oaths and joking irreverence in sacred contexts.