Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

तथापि नैव गृह्णीयात्तपोरक्षा यतः सदा । वेदपाठो विष्णुपूजा ब्रह्मध्यानमलोभता

Transliteration

tathāpi naiva gṛhṇīyāttaporakṣā yataḥ sadā | vedapāṭho viṣṇupūjā brahmadhyānamalobhatā

Translation

ତଥାପି ସେ ଅଧିକ ଗ୍ରହଣ କରିବା ଉଚିତ ନୁହେଁ; କାରଣ ତପସ୍ୟାର ରକ୍ଷା ସଦା ଆବଶ୍ୟକ—ବେଦପାଠ, ବିଷ୍ଣୁପୂଜା, ବ୍ରହ୍ମଧ୍ୟାନ ଏବଂ ଅଲୋଭତା ଦ୍ୱାରା।

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

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

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

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• गृह्णीयात्: should take/accept
• गृह्णीयात्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• तपो-रक्षा: protection of austerity
• तपो-रक्षा: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + रक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): तपसः रक्षा

• यतः: because, since
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, हेत्वर्थक (causal indeclinable: 'because/for')

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• वेद-पाठः: recitation of the Veda
• वेद-पाठः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + पाठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: वेदानां पाठः

• विष्णु-पूजा: worship of Viṣṇu
• विष्णु-पूजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: विष्णोः पूजा

• ब्रह्म-ध्यानम्: meditation on Brahman
• ब्रह्म-ध्यानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ब्रह्मणः ध्यानम्

• अ-लोभता: non-greed, freedom from avarice
• अ-लोभता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ (उपसर्ग/नञ्) + लोभता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-प्रत्ययेन निषेध (negation): लोभाभावः

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A disciplined ascetic-brāhmaṇa in a simple hut: chanting Veda, offering flowers to Viṣṇu, then seated in Brahman-meditation; a patron’s large gift is set aside to show alobha.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Brahman

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Austerity is preserved by restraint and inner discipline—study, worship, meditation, and non-greed form a protective fence around spiritual power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No location is specified in this verse; it provides universal dharma principles often taught alongside tīrtha-glorification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Veda recitation, Viṣṇu worship, and Brahman-meditation are recommended as ongoing practices, along with limiting acceptance of gifts.