Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

श्रोत्रियांश्च तथा वृद्धान्षट्कर्मनिरतान्सदा । बहुभृत्यकुटुम्बांश्च दरिद्रा्न्संयुतान्गुणैः

Transliteration

śrotriyāṃśca tathā vṛddhānṣaṭkarmaniratānsadā | bahubhṛtyakuṭumbāṃśca daridrā्nsaṃyutānguṇaiḥ

Translation

श्रोत्रियांश्च तथा वृद्धान् षट्कर्मनिरतान् सदा । बहुभृत्यकुटुम्बांश्च दरिद्रान् संयुतान् गुणैः ॥

Word by Word

• श्रोत्रियान्: learned Vedic scholars
• श्रोत्रियान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रोत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

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

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकार-अव्यय (also/likewise)

• वृद्धान्: elders
• वृद्धान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘वृद्ध’ = aged/elder; (आमन्त्रयेत् इत्यस्य कर्म)

• षट्कर्मनिरतान्: engaged in the six duties
• षट्कर्मनिरतान्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षट्-कर्म-निरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘षट्कर्मसु निरतः’ = engaged in the six duties

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: नित्यत्ववाचक-अव्यय (always)

• बहुभृत्यकुटुम्बान्: those with many dependents/family members
• बहुभृत्यकुटुम्बान्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु-भृत्य-कुटुम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘बहवो भृत्याः यस्य कुटुम्बे/यस्य’ = having a family with many dependents

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

• दरिद्रान्: the poor
• दरिद्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दरिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘poor’

• संयुतान्: endowed
• संयुतान्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√युज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘गुणैः’ इति सह—endowed/connected

• गुणैः: with virtues/qualities
• गुणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

Speaker

Bhartṛyajña (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A line of invitees: an elderly brāhmaṇa with staff, a śrotriya holding Veda, and a modestly dressed poor brāhmaṇa with children nearby—each honored equally with water and seats.

Characters & Entities

• Śrotriyas
• Elders
• Ṣaṭkarman (six duties)
• Qualified poor householders

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual honor should recognize virtue and Vedic discipline, and it compassionately includes the virtuous poor burdened with dependents.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned; the verse details eligibility for śrāddha recipients.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Invite śrotriyas, elders, those practicing the six duties, and virtuous poor householders with many dependents.