Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

साधारणा वयं विप्र यतः सृष्टाः स्वयंभुवा । सर्वेषामेव लोकानां विशेषेण द्विजन्मनाम्

Transliteration

sādhāraṇā vayaṃ vipra yataḥ sṛṣṭāḥ svayaṃbhuvā | sarveṣāmeva lokānāṃ viśeṣeṇa dvijanmanām

Translation

ஓ விப்ரரே! நாம் அனைவருக்கும் பொதுவானவர்கள்; ஏனெனில் ஸ்வயம்பூ பிரம்மா எங்களை எல்லா லோகங்களின் இன்பத்திற்காக—சிறப்பாக இருமுறை பிறந்தோருக்காக—படைத்தான்.

Word by Word

• साधारणाः: common/available to all
• साधारणाः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साधारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘वयम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• विप्र: O Brahmin
• विप्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• यतः: because/since
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (हेतुवाचक)

• सृष्टाः: created
• सृष्टाः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सृष्ट (कृदन्त; √सृज् (धातु), क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘वयम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• स्वयंभुवा: by Svayambhū (Brahmā)
• स्वयंभुवा: Karana/Agent (Instrumental agent/करण-कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयंभू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; कर्तृकरणे/कर्तृवाचक-तृतीया (agent)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; ‘लोकानाम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण)

• लोकानाम्: of worlds/people
• लोकानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (instrumental used adverbially): ‘विशेषतः’

• द्विजन्मनाम्: of the twice-born (Brahmins etc.)
• द्विजन्मनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि (संख्या) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; ‘द्वि-जन्म’ इति द्विगु/तत्पुरुष-प्राय, बहुवचन-षष्ठी ‘of the twice-born’

Speaker

Rambhā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rambhā expands her argument: celestial courtesans are ‘common’ and created by Brahmā for enjoyment, especially of the twice-born—an audacious cosmic framing.

Characters & Entities

• Svayambhū (Brahmā)
• Dwijas (twice-born)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse shows how desire can be justified through appeals to “creation” and custom, underscoring the need for higher dharma-guided restraint.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse belongs to a tīrtha-glorification chapter (Tīrthamāhātmya), but no particular site-name appears in this line alone.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None—this is argumentative dialogue rather than a ritual injunction.