Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच । गृहगुप्तौ सुगुप्तानां बंधानां बंधुबंधनैः । मोहरागसमावेशात्सन्मार्ग गमनं कुतः

Transliteration

śrīśuka uvāca | gṛhaguptau suguptānāṃ baṃdhānāṃ baṃdhubaṃdhanaiḥ | moharāgasamāveśātsanmārga gamanaṃ kutaḥ

Translation

ศรีศุกะกล่าวว่า: เมื่อผู้คนซ่อนตนแน่นหนาอยู่ในป้อมปราการแห่งเรือนอันมีผู้คุ้มกัน—ถูกผูกมัดด้วยสายใยญาติและพันธนาการแห่งความยึดติด—ถูกครอบงำด้วยโมหะและราคะแล้ว จะไปสู่สันมรรคได้อย่างไร

Word by Word

• श्रीशुकः: Venerable Śuka
• श्रीशुकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री-शुक (प्रातिपदिक); समासः: श्री + शुक
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• गृहगुप्तौ: in/under the protection of the house
• गृहगुप्तौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह-गुप्त (प्रातिपदिक); समासः: गृह + गुप्त
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• सुगुप्तानाम्: of well-guarded
• सुगुप्तानाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-गुप्त (प्रातिपदिक); समासः: सु + गुप्त
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम् (agreeing with बंधानाम्)

• बंधानाम्: of bonds/attachments
• बंधानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बंध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• बंधुबंधनैः: by the fetters of relatives
• बंधुबंधनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बंधु-बंधन (प्रातिपदिक); समासः: बंधु + बंधन
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• मोहरागसमावेशात्: from the overpowering influence of delusion and attachment
• मोहरागसमावेशात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह-राग-समावेश (प्रातिपदिक); समासः: मोह + राग + समावेश
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• सन्मार्ग: the right path
• सन्मार्ग: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्-मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक); समासः: सत् + मार्ग
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• गमनम्: going
• गमनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• कुतः: how/whence
• कुतः: Kriya-visheshana (Interrogative adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb: 'whence/how')

Speaker

Śuka

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic scene: a house depicted as a fortified citadel with gates and guards labeled ‘relatives/attachments’; inside, a person entangled in vines of moha and rāga, looking toward a distant luminous ‘satmārga’ path.

Characters & Entities

• Śuka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Family and comfort can become fetters; without vigilance, attachment (rāga) and delusion (moha) obstruct the good path.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned; the verse addresses inner obstacles relevant to pilgrimage and dharma alike.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it urges detachment and clarity as prerequisites for walking sanmārga.