Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

आत्मा पुत्र त्वया रक्ष्यः सर्वदैव प्रय त्नतः । सर्वेभ्यः श्वापदेभ्यश्च भ्रमता गहने वने

Transliteration

ātmā putra tvayā rakṣyaḥ sarvadaiva praya tnataḥ | sarvebhyaḥ śvāpadebhyaśca bhramatā gahane vane

Translation

కుమారా, నీవు ఎల్లప్పుడూ ప్రయత్నపూర్వకంగా నీను నీవే రక్షించుకోవాలి—ప్రత్యేకంగా ఘన అరణ్యంలో సంచరిస్తూ, అన్ని క్రూర మృగాల నుండి.

Word by Word

• आत्मा: yourself, the self
• आत्मा: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (nominative singular)

• पुत्र: O son
• पुत्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/करण/कर्ता), एकवचन (instrumental: by you)

• रक्ष्यः: to be protected
• रक्ष्यः: Vidhi (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु) → रक्ष्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भाव्य/कर्तव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (यत्/ण्यत्), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be protected)

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: always)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Particle (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle: indeed/only)

• प्रयत्नतः: with effort, carefully
• प्रयत्नतः: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (प्रयत्नतः = with effort/earnestly)

• सर्वेभ्यः: from all
• सर्वेभ्यः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), बहुवचन (ablative plural: from all)

• श्वापदेभ्यः: from wild beasts/predators
• श्वापदेभ्यः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वापद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (प्रायः), पञ्चमी (5th), बहुवचन (ablative plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Conjunction (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• भ्रमता: by you wandering / while wandering
• भ्रमता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु) → भ्रमन्त् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (भ्रमन्/भ्रमन्त्), तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक (by/while wandering)

• गहने: in the dense (part)
• गहने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (locative)

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

Speaker

Nandinī (the cow, speaking to her calf)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A young pilgrim in forest with staff and bundle, alert posture; wild beasts (śvāpadāḥ) hinted at in shadows; an elder’s protective instruction overlays the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Nandinī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes responsible self-protection and vigilance; carelessness in dangerous settings leads to avoidable suffering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of a Tīrthamāhātmya chapter but does not identify a named tīrtha in this snippet.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the instruction is practical and ethical—constant effort (prayatna) and caution.