Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

स्वर्गमोक्षौ परित्यज्य तत्कस्मान्मर्त्य इष्यते । येनासौ प्रार्थ्यते मर्त्यैर्मर्त्यदो गणनायकः

Transliteration

svargamokṣau parityajya tatkasmānmartya iṣyate | yenāsau prārthyate martyairmartyado gaṇanāyakaḥ

Translation

ସ୍ୱର୍ଗ ଓ ମୋକ୍ଷକୁ ଛାଡ଼ି ମର୍ତ୍ୟଭାବ କାହିଁକି ଇଚ୍ଛା କରାଯାଏ? କାରଣ ସେହି ମର୍ତ୍ୟସ୍ଥିତିରେ ମର୍ତ୍ୟବରଦାତା ଗଣନାୟକ ଶ୍ରୀଗଣେଶଙ୍କୁ ମର୍ତ୍ୟମାନେ ପ୍ରାର୍ଥନା କରନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• svargamokṣau: heaven and liberation
• svargamokṣau: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga + mokṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन (Dual)

• parityajya: having abandoned
• parityajya: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari + tyaj (त्यज् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव

• tat: that
• tat: Sambandha (Reference/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• kasmāt: from what reason? why?
• kasmāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (Singular)

• martyaḥ: a mortal (man)
• martyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: martya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• iṣyate: is desired/approved
• iṣyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (इष् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (passive/impersonal sense)

• yena: by whom/whereby
• yena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• asau: that one (he)
• asau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• prārthyate: is entreated/prayed to
• prārthyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + arth (अर्थ् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि (Passive)

• martyaiḥ: by mortals
• martyaiḥ: Kartr̥ (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: martya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• martyadaḥ: giver of mortals (i.e., bestower of human birth)
• martyadaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: martya + da (दा/दद् धातु; द-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• gaṇanāyakaḥ: leader of the gaṇas (Gaṇeśa)
• gaṇanāyakaḥ: Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇa + nāyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Ṛṣayaḥ (questioning Sūta)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative scene: mortals stand before Gaṇanāyaka with folded hands, offering modaka and durvā; behind them, symbolic gates labeled ‘Svarga’ and ‘Mokṣa’ are set aside, showing their focus on immediate petitions; Gaṇeśa radiates compassionate authority.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇanāyaka (Gaṇeśa)
• Svarga
• Mokṣa
• Mortals (Martya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Human birth is valued because it enables deliberate worship and prayer, through which divine grace grants both worldly support and spiritual progress.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse points toward a kṣetra where Gaṇanāyaka is specially present; the exact site is asked about explicitly in the next verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prayer/entreaty (prārthanā) to Gaṇanāyaka is implied; no specific vow or offering is detailed here.