Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

प्रकृतीनां रामनाम संमतो वा षडक्षरः । सोऽपि प्रणवहीनः स्यात्पुराणस्मृतिनिर्णयः

Transliteration

prakṛtīnāṃ rāmanāma saṃmato vā ṣaḍakṣaraḥ | so'pi praṇavahīnaḥ syātpurāṇasmṛtinirṇayaḥ

Translation

ସାଧାରଣ ଲୋକମାନଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ‘ରାମନାମ’ ଭାବେ ସମ୍ମତ ଷଡାକ୍ଷର ମନ୍ତ୍ର ଗ୍ରାହ୍ୟ; ଏବଂ ସେଥିରେ ପ୍ରଣବ (ଓଂ) ନ ଥିବା ଉଚିତ—ଏହି ପୁରାଣ-ସ୍ମୃତି ନିର୍ଣ୍ଣୟ।

Word by Word

• prakṛtīnām: for the common folk (prakṛtis)
• prakṛtīnām: Sampradana (Beneficiary/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive: 'for/of common people')

• rāma-nāma: the name ‘Rāma’
• rāma-nāma: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma + nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विषय/नाम (as the mantra-name)

• saṃmataḥ: approved; accepted
• saṃmataḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-√man (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) 'saṃmata'; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies 'ṣaḍakṣaraḥ' or 'rāma-nāma' as accepted)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle: 'or/indeed')

• ṣaḍakṣaraḥ: the six-syllable (mantra)
• ṣaḍakṣaraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaṭ-akṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• saḥ: that (one)
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; संकेत (refers to ṣaḍakṣaraḥ)

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

• praṇava-hīnaḥ: devoid of praṇava (Oṃ)
• praṇava-hīnaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: praṇava + hīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies 'saḥ')

• syāt: would be; should be
• syāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/सम्भावना), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• purāṇa-smṛti-nirṇayaḥ: the decision of Purāṇas and Smṛtis
• purāṇa-smṛti-nirṇayaḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purāṇa + smṛti + nirṇaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; वाक्य-समापन-प्रमाणवचनम् (as an appositive: 'this is the decision of...')

Speaker

Śiva (Mahādeva)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teaching tableau where the name ‘Rāma’ is presented as a simple, luminous mantra for the many; the syllables ‘रा’ ‘म’ appear as radiant script, suggesting ease and grace.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Praṇava (Oṃ)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇic tradition frames accessible devotional practice through approved name-mantras suited to the practitioner.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is mentioned; the verse is doctrinal guidance on mantra form within the māhātmya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

For certain practitioners, the six-syllable Rāma-nāma is prescribed without prefacing Oṃ (praṇava).