Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

असकृत्प्रोच्यमानोऽपि याज्ञवल्क्यो व्रजेन्न हि । यदा तदा बहुगुणमन्यं शिष्यं प्रदिष्टवान्

Transliteration

asakṛtprocyamāno'pi yājñavalkyo vrajenna hi | yadā tadā bahuguṇamanyaṃ śiṣyaṃ pradiṣṭavān

Translation

ବାରମ୍ବାର ଅନୁରୋଧ ହେଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଯାଜ୍ଞବଲ୍କ୍ୟ ସେଠାକୁ ଯାଇଲେ ନାହିଁ। ସେତେବେଳେ ସେ ଅନେକ ଗୁଣସମ୍ପନ୍ନ ଅନ୍ୟ ଜଣେ ଶିଷ୍ୟକୁ ନିଯୁକ୍ତ କଲେ।

Word by Word

• असकृत्: repeatedly
• असकृत्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: असकृत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आवृत्तिवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: repeatedly)

• प्रोच्यमानः: being urged/told
• प्रोच्यमानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) → प्रोच्यमान (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present passive participle, शानच्/मान); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि (being told/urged)

• अपि: even though
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (concessive ‘even though’)

• याज्ञवल्क्यः: Yājñavalkya
• याज्ञवल्क्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याज्ञवल्क्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• व्रजेत्: should go
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• यदा: when
• यदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal: ‘when’)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal: ‘then’)

• बहुगुणम्: of many virtues
• बहुगुणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘many’ + ‘qualities’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘śiṣyam’)

• अन्यम्: another
• अन्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• शिष्यम्: disciple
• शिष्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रदिष्टवान्: instructed; appointed
• प्रदिष्टवान्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दिश् (धातु) → प्रदिष्टवत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृत् (past active participle, क्तवत्); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि (having instructed/appointed)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual, unspecified in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dignified sage Yājñavalkya, calm and unmoved by repeated entreaties, gestures toward a virtuous disciple, indicating delegation; messengers stand respectfully, conveying royal urgency.

Characters & Entities

• Yājñavalkya
• Śiṣya (Disciple)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual work is entrusted to the qualified; virtue and preparedness matter as much as status.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not stated in this verse; the larger adhyāya belongs to a tīrtha-māhātmya context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is described; it emphasizes appointing a qualified agent for dharmic resolution.