Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

पितरो मा प्रणश्यंतु मा प्रणश्यंतु चाग्नयः । देवता मा प्रणश्यंतु मत्तो दांपत्यभेदतः

Transliteration

pitaro mā praṇaśyaṃtu mā praṇaśyaṃtu cāgnayaḥ | devatā mā praṇaśyaṃtu matto dāṃpatyabhedataḥ

Translation

ମୋର ପିତୃମାନେ ବିଚ୍ଛିନ୍ନ ନ ହେଉନ୍ତୁ; ପବିତ୍ର ଅଗ୍ନିମାନେ ନ ନଶୁନ୍ତୁ; ଦାମ୍ପତ୍ୟଭେଦ ହେତୁ ଦେବତାମାନେ ମୋଠାରୁ ବିମୁଖ ନ ହେଉନ୍ତୁ।

Word by Word

• पितरः: ancestors
• पितरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• मा: do not
• मा: Pratiṣedha (Prohibition/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (prohibitive)

• प्रणश्यन्तु: may they perish
• प्रणश्यन्तु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• मा: do not
• मा: Pratiṣedha (Prohibition/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• प्रणश्यन्तु: may they perish
• प्रणश्यन्तु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अग्नयः: fires (sacred fires)
• अग्नयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• देवताः: deities
• देवताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• मा: do not
• मा: Pratiṣedha (Prohibition/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• प्रणश्यन्तु: may they perish
• प्रणश्यन्तु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• मत्तः: from me
• मत्तः: Apadana (Ablative source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी (5/अपादान), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दाम्पत्यभेदतः: due to separation in marriage
• दाम्पत्यभेदतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दाम्पत्य + भेद + तस् (प्रातिपदिक/तद्धित-अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय; हेत्वर्थे (ablatival adverb: ‘because of/from’)

Speaker

Sūta (mantra portion voiced as the worshipper’s petition)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Viprāḥ / brāhmaṇa audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee prays with folded hands before Viṣṇu, while symbolic triad appears: pitṛs receiving offerings, a steady household fire, and devas pleased—contrasted with the shadow of marital discord being dispelled.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Agnis (sacred fires)
• Devatās

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Marital harmony sustains household rites—pitṛ offerings, sacred fires, and deva-worship—central to gṛhastha-dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This is a dharma-focused mantra line; it does not name a particular tīrtha in the verse itself.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prayer recited in worship, seeking uninterrupted lineage rites (pitṛ), fire-ritual continuity (agni), and divine favor (devatā).