Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

शांतात्मा नियमोपेतश्चकार सुमहत्तपः । तस्यैवं वर्तमानस्य वानप्रस्थस्य चाश्रमे

Transliteration

śāṃtātmā niyamopetaścakāra sumahattapaḥ | tasyaivaṃ vartamānasya vānaprasthasya cāśrame

Translation

ਸ਼ਾਂਤ ਆਤਮਾ ਅਤੇ ਨਿਯਮਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਯੁਕਤ ਹੋ ਕੇ ਉਸ ਨੇ ਮਹਾਨ ਤਪ ਕੀਤਾ। ਉਸ ਵਾਨਪ੍ਰਸਥ ਦੇ ਆਸ਼੍ਰਮ ਵਿੱਚ, ਜਦ ਉਹ ਇਸੇ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਵੱਸਦਾ ਸੀ—

Word by Word

• शान्तात्मा: one whose self is calm
• शान्तात्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (कृदन्त/विशेषण) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (शान्तः आत्मा यस्य)

• नियमोपेतः: endowed with disciplines
• नियमोपेतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक) + उपेत (कृदन्त, √इ (इण्) + उपसर्ग उप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (नियमैः उपेतः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• चकार: did/performed
• चकार: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (डुकृञ् करणे)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सुमहत्: very great
• सुमहत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय-उपसर्गवत्) + महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (सुमहत् = अतिमहत्)

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• एवं: thus
• एवं: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• वर्तमानस्य: of (him) living/being
• वर्तमानस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्तमान (कृदन्त, √वृत् (वृत्तौ) शतृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; वर्तमान-शतृ-प्रत्यय (present participle)

• वानप्रस्थस्य: of the forest-dweller (vānaprastha)
• वानप्रस्थस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानप्रस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• आश्रमे: in the hermitage
• आश्रमे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene forest hermitage: a calm ascetic seated in meditation with water-pot and staff; kusa-grass hut; sacred fire; deer and birds nearby; the atmosphere of disciplined quiet.

Characters & Entities

• Mṛkaṇḍu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Self-restraint (niyama) and austerity (tapas) are portrayed as the inner engines that consecrate a place and elevate a life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The āśrama region near Camatkārapura remains the narrative setting; the tīrtha framing is developed in subsequent verses.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

General observance of niyamas and tapas is implied; no named vow, bath, or offering is specified.