Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

मानुष्यं दुर्लभं लोके हरिभक्तिश्च दुर्लभा । चातुर्मास्ये विशेषेण सुप्ते देवे जनार्दने

Transliteration

mānuṣyaṃ durlabhaṃ loke haribhaktiśca durlabhā | cāturmāsye viśeṣeṇa supte deve janārdane

Translation

Человеческое рождение редко в этом мире, и редка также преданность Хари — особенно в Чатурмасье, когда, как говорят, Господь Джанардана пребывает в божественном сне.

Word by Word

• मानुष्यम्: human birth/state
• मानुष्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्ता

• दुर्लभम्: rare
• दुर्लभम्: Karta-predicative (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् + लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (for मानुष्यम्)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• हरिभक्तिः: devotion to Hari
• हरिभक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (devotion to Hari); कर्ता

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• दुर्लभा: rare
• दुर्लभा: Karta-predicative (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् + लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (for हरिभक्तिः)

• चातुर्मास्ये: in Cāturmāsya
• चातुर्मास्ये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चातुर्मास्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (instrumental of manner)

• सुप्ते: when (he is) asleep
• सुप्ते: Adhikarana-viśeṣaṇa (Locative qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषण (for देवे)

• देवे: when the god (is)
• देवे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• जनार्दने: Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• जनार्दने: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; देवस्य विशेषण-रूपेण (apposition)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced; Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narration typically via Sūta to sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Janārdana depicted in yoganidrā on Śeṣa in cosmic waters, while devotees on earth continue worship during monsoon; the contrast underscores ‘divine sleep’ and human urgency.

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Janārdana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Because both human life and Hari-bhakti are rare, Cāturmāsya should be valued as a sacred opportunity for devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; the verse highlights a sacred calendrical period connected to Viṣṇu (Janārdana).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No single ritual is specified here; it frames Cāturmāsya as a particularly significant time for Hari-bhakti.