Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

स शून्यमाश्रमं प्राप्य लिखितस्य महात्मनः । आत्मीयानीति मन्वानः फलानि जगृहे ततः

Transliteration

sa śūnyamāśramaṃ prāpya likhitasya mahātmanaḥ | ātmīyānīti manvānaḥ phalāni jagṛhe tataḥ

Translation

ସେ ମହାତ୍ମା ଲିଖିତଙ୍କ ଆଶ୍ରମକୁ ପହଞ୍ଚି ଶୂନ୍ୟ ଦେଖି, ‘ଏଗୁଡ଼ିକ ମୋର ନିଜର ପରି’ ଭାବି ତତ୍କ୍ଷଣାତ୍ ଫଳ ନେଲା।

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• शून्यम्: empty
• शून्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शून्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier)

• आश्रमम्: hermitage
• आश्रमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• प्राप्य: having reached
• प्राप्य: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial to main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया (having done)

• लिखितस्य: of Likhita
• लिखितस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिखित (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled (man)
• महात्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• आत्मीयानि: one's own
• आत्मीयानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्य-समाप्ति-निबन्धक (quotative particle)

• मन्वानः: thinking
• मन्वानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि (agentive)

• फलानि: fruits
• फलानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• जगृहे: took
• जगृहे: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ततः: then/from there
• ततः: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of sequence)

Speaker

Brahmin sages

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A quiet forest hermitage stands empty; Śaṅkha, travel-worn, reaches toward a basket/tree of ripe fruits, his face showing rationalization as he gathers them.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkha
• Likhita
• āśrama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma emphasizes consent and right conduct; even small acts like taking fruit can carry moral weight when done without permission.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śaṅkhatīrtha indirectly—this ethical turning point forms part of the tīrtha’s foundational narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse narrates an action that sets up later consequences and the tīrtha’s emergence/importance.