Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

अस्य मूर्खतमस्याऽपि त्वं शूलिंश्चित्रशर्मणः । सुस्तोकेनाऽपि कालेन सन्तोषं परमं गतः

Transliteration

asya mūrkhatamasyā'pi tvaṃ śūliṃścitraśarmaṇaḥ | sustokenā'pi kālena santoṣaṃ paramaṃ gataḥ

Translation

ఈ అత్యంత మూర్ఖుడికైనా, హే శూలిన్, నీవు చిత్రశర్ముని పట్ల అతి స్వల్పకాలంలోనే పరమ సంతుష్టుడవయ్యావు।

Word by Word

• अस्य: of this
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-सम्भव (contextual)

• मूर्खतमस्य: of the most foolish (man)
• मूर्खतमस्य: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mūrkhatama (प्रातिपदिक; मूर्ख + तमप्)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular); तमप्-प्रत्ययान्त (superlative)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अर्थः—'even/also'

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• शूलिन्: Śūlin (Śiva, bearer of the trident)
• शूलिन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūlin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• चित्रशर्मणः: of Citraśarman
• चित्रशर्मणः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: citraśarman (प्रातिपदिक; proper name)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• सुस्तोकेन: with a very short (amount)
• सुस्तोकेन: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sustoka (प्रातिपदिक; सु + स्तोक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुल्लिङ्ग (contextual), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अर्थः—'even'

• कालेन: in/with time
• कालेन: Adhikarana (Time circumstance/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• सन्तोषम्: contentment, satisfaction
• सन्तोषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: santoṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• गतः: has attained
• गतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (गम् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle); पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); क्रियार्थे—'has attained'

Speaker

Brāhmaṇas/devotees (addressing Śiva; deduced from direct vocative ‘śūlin’ and complaint tone)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of elderly brāhmaṇas marvel at how Śiva (Śūlin) became quickly pleased with Citraśarman; their faces show astonishment and wounded devotion, with Śiva’s unseen presence implied.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Śūlin
• Citraśarman

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Comparing one’s path with another’s can turn devotion into grievance; the narrative frames this as a spiritual obstacle.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s tīrtha-glorification setting; the named focus here is the devotee Citraśarman rather than a geography label.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it is a spoken complaint about Śiva’s quick satisfaction elsewhere.