Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

यूकामत्कुणदंशादीन्सर्वसत्त्वानि यो नरः । पुत्रवत्पालयेन्नित्यं न प्रेतो जायते नरः

Transliteration

yūkāmatkuṇadaṃśādīnsarvasattvāni yo naraḥ | putravatpālayennityaṃ na preto jāyate naraḥ

Translation

यः यूकामत्कुणदंशादीन् सर्वसत्त्वान् पुत्रवत् नित्यं पालयति—स नरः प्रेतत्वं न प्राप्नोति।

Word by Word

• yūkāmatkuṇadaṃśādīn: lice, bedbugs, gnats, etc.
• yūkāmatkuṇadaṃśādīn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yūkā (प्रातिपदिक) + matkuṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + daṃśa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (यूका-मत्कुण-दंश-आदि)

• sarvasattvāni: all living beings
• sarvasattvāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + sattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (सर्वाणि सत्त्वानि)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• naraḥ: man
• naraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• putravat: like (one's) son
• putravat: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपमानार्थक-क्रियाविशेषण)

• pālayet: should protect, should care for
• pālayet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pāl (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; ‘should protect/care for’

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• pretaḥ: a preta
• pretaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: preta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय

• jāyate: is born/becomes
• jāyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• naraḥ: man
• naraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Māṃsāda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A compassionate person gently shelters tiny creatures—lifting a small insect from water, placing it safely on a leaf—while others look on in surprise; the figure’s expression is parental and protective.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Radical non-violence and compassion toward all life, even the smallest, is praised as a purifier of karma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; the verse supports tīrtha-dharma by emphasizing universal kindness as the true inner pilgrimage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A behavioral vow of protection/non-harm (ahiṃsā) toward all creatures.