Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

केचित्तत्रापि जायंते शांता दांता जितेंद्रियाः । न सर्वेऽपि द्विजश्रेष्ठा यतोऽर्द्धं पातकस्य तु

Transliteration

kecittatrāpi jāyaṃte śāṃtā dāṃtā jiteṃdriyāḥ | na sarve'pi dvijaśreṣṭhā yato'rddhaṃ pātakasya tu

Translation

ସେହି ଯୁଗରେ ମଧ୍ୟ କେତେକ ଶାନ୍ତ, ଦାନ୍ତ (ସଂୟମୀ) ଓ ଜିତେନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟ ଜନ୍ମ ନେନ୍ତି; କିନ୍ତୁ ସମସ୍ତେ—even ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ଦ୍ୱିଜମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟ—ତେଣୁ ନୁହେଁ, କାରଣ ପାପର ଅର୍ଧାଂଶ ଅବଶିଷ୍ଟ ରହେ।

Word by Word

• kecit: some (people)
• kecit: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim + cit (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-भावार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• jāyante: are born/arise
• jāyante: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jan (जन्, धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• śāntāḥ: peaceful
• śāntāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śānta (प्रातिपदिक; √śam, शम्, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• dāntāḥ: self-controlled
• dāntāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dānta (प्रातिपदिक; √dam, दम, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• jitendriyāḥ: having conquered the senses
• jitendriyāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jita (प्रातिपदिक; √ji, जि, क्त) + indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (indriyāṇi jitāni yaiḥ)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• sarve: all
• sarve: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; सर्वनामसदृश (all)

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

• dvijaśreṣṭhāḥ: best of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• dvijaśreṣṭhāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समासः (श्रेष्ठा द्विजाः)

• yataḥ: because
• yataḥ: Sambandha (Causal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक-अव्यय (because/for)

• arddham: half
• arddham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• pātakasya: of sin
• pātakasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेषणार्थक-अव्यय (particle)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A small group of serene ascetic-like figures amid a larger restless crowd; the calm ones sit in meditation, symbolizing śama-dama, while a shadow labeled ‘pātaka’ lingers as half-presence.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Kali (Kaliyuga)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even in dark ages, true restraint and peace are possible, but one must not assume virtue is universal; vigilance against sin is required.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse functions as moral framing within a Tīrthamāhātmya chapter; the snippet itself does not name a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual (snāna, dāna, japa, vrata) is stated in this verse.