Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

मम स्याद्गृह ऐश्वर्यं तत्सर्वं नान्यथा व्रजेत् । काव्यैरुपहता वेदाः पुत्रा जामातृकैस्तथा

Transliteration

mama syādgṛha aiśvaryaṃ tatsarvaṃ nānyathā vrajet | kāvyairupahatā vedāḥ putrā jāmātṛkaistathā

Translation

“என் இல்லத்தின் ஐஸ்வரியம் எனக்கே உரியதாக இருக்கட்டும்; அது வேறு வழியில் போகாதிருக்கட்டும்” என எண்ணம். வெறும் காவியக் காட்சியால் வேதங்கள் காயமடைகின்றன; மகன்களும் மருமகன்‑உறவுகளாலும் உலகப் பாசங்களாலும் அலைக்கழிக்கப்படுகின்றனர்.

Word by Word

• मम: of me/my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• गृहे: in the house
• गृहे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• ऐश्वर्यम्: prosperity/wealth
• ऐश्वर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐश्वर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Sambandha (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: otherwise)

• व्रजेत्: should go/turn out
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• काव्यैः: by poems/poetic compositions
• काव्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• उपहता: struck/afflicted
• उपहता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-हन् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); वेदाः इति विशेष्येण सह

• वेदाः: the Vedas
• वेदाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पुत्राः: sons
• पुत्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• जामातृकैः: by sons-in-law (i.e., through sons-in-law)
• जामातृकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जामातृक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: likewise/so)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A household scene where a person clutches symbols of prosperity while, in the background, a Vedic manuscript appears ‘scarred’ by ornate poetic scrolls; family ties (sons/sons-in-law) tug the figure in different directions, suggesting dharma pulled by worldly claims.

Characters & Entities

• Vedas
• Kali Yuga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kali fosters possessiveness and the eclipse of Vedic dharma by superficial culture; one should restore life to scripture through right practice and humility.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it continues the Kali-era diagnosis within a Tīrthamāhātmya chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual instruction is present.