Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

युधिष्ठिर उवाच । गच्छार्जुन द्रुतं तत्र नीयन्ते यत्र तस्करैः । धेनवो द्विजवर्यस्य ता मोक्षय धनंजय

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | gacchārjuna drutaṃ tatra nīyante yatra taskaraiḥ | dhenavo dvijavaryasya tā mokṣaya dhanaṃjaya

Translation

ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିର କହିଲେ— ଅର୍ଜୁନ, ଶୀଘ୍ର ସେଠାକୁ ଯାଅ; ଯେଉଁଠାରେ ଚୋରମାନେ ସେଇ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣଙ୍କ ଧେନୁମାନଙ୍କୁ ହାଙ୍କି ନେଉଛନ୍ତି। ହେ ଧନଞ୍ଜୟ, ସେମାନଙ୍କୁ ମୁକ୍ତ କର।

Word by Word

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yudhiṣṭhira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• गच्छ: go
• गच्छ: Kriya (Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• अर्जुन: O Arjuna
• अर्जुन: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arjuna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• द्रुतम्: quickly
• द्रुतम्: Sambandha (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: druta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोगः; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverbial accusative: “quickly”)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place: “there”)

• नीयन्ते: are being taken away
• नीयन्ते: Kriya (Passive verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √nī (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive: “are being led”)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Relative place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्ध/देशवाचक (relative adverb: “where”)

• तस्करैः: by thieves
• तस्करैः: Karana (Agent-in-passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: taskara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; कर्तृकरणभावे (agent in passive / instrumental)

• धेनवः: cows
• धेनवः: Karta (Subject of passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhenu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• द्विज-वर्यस्य: of the excellent brāhmaṇa
• द्विज-वर्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + varya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषसदृशः (वर्यः द्विजः = श्रेष्ठः द्विजः); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्धे (genitive: “of the excellent brāhmaṇa”)

• ताः: those (cows)
• ताः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; धेनूनाम् अन्वादेशः (pronoun referring to cows)

• मोक्षय: release
• मोक्षय: Kriya (Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √muc (धातु) (causative: मोक्षयति)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative: “cause to be released”)

• धनंजय: O Dhanañjaya
• धनंजय: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanaṃjaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; अर्जुनस्य उपनाम

Speaker

Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yudhiṣṭhira commands; Arjuna springs into action. In the distance, thieves drive a herd of cows; Arjuna, bow in hand, moves swiftly to liberate them; the brāhmaṇa is distressed yet hopeful.

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Arjuna (Dhanañjaya)
• Brāhmaṇa (unnamed)
• Thieves

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True dharma includes active protection of the vulnerable—especially brāhmaṇas and their livelihood—through swift, righteous action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; this verse sets the dharmic cause leading into the tīrtha-yātrā episode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; a practical dharmic duty—rescuing stolen cows—is commanded.