Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

ततस्ते शर्मसंयुक्ताः सर्व एव द्विजोत्तमाः । चक्रुस्तपःक्रियां सर्वे दुष्करां सर्वजन्तुभिः

Transliteration

tataste śarmasaṃyuktāḥ sarva eva dvijottamāḥ | cakrustapaḥkriyāṃ sarve duṣkarāṃ sarvajantubhiḥ

Translation

แล้วบรรดาทวิชผู้ประเสริฐเหล่านั้น ผู้เปี่ยมด้วยความมุ่งมั่นอันเป็นมงคล ต่างพร้อมใจกันประกอบตบะ—ข้อปฏิบัติอันยากยิ่งสำหรับสรรพสัตว์ทั้งปวง

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अपादान/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘then/from that’)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• शर्मसंयुक्ताः: associated with happiness/comfort (or ‘named Śarman-’)
• शर्मसंयुक्ताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शर्मन् + संयुक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (शर्मणा संयुक्ताः / शर्म-सम्बद्धाः)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (particle of emphasis: ‘indeed/only’)

• द्विजोत्तमाः: best of the twice-born (excellent Brahmins)
• द्विजोत्तमाः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (द्विजानाम् उत्तमाः)

• चक्रुः: did/performed
• चक्रुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• तपःक्रियाम्: austerity-practice
• तपःक्रियाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (तपसः क्रिया)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्तृ-सम्बन्धे पुनरुक्त-विशेषण

• दुष्कराम्: difficult
• दुष्कराम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘तपःक्रियाम्’ विशेषयति

• सर्वजन्तुभिः: by/for all beings (i.e., difficult for all creatures)
• सर्वजन्तुभिः: Karana/Comparison (Instrumental of comparison/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (सर्वे जन्तवः)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of brāhmaṇa sages, faces serene yet intense, performing harsh austerities—standing on one leg, arms raised, meditating near a liṅga; the air shimmers with heat and mantra शक्ति.

Characters & Entities

• dvijottamāḥ (foremost brāhmaṇas)
• tapas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

High spiritual aims require disciplined, difficult practice; tapas refines intention and draws divine favor.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The adhyāya’s central tīrtha is implied as the setting where these brāhmaṇas perform their austerities, enhancing the site’s sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Undertaking severe tapas as a formal religious practice (tapaḥ-kriyā).