Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

निःस्पृहैरपि द्रष्टव्या धर्मवन्तो द्विजोत्तमाः । ततः प्रोक्तं पुराण ज्ञैर्ब्राह्मणैः शास्त्रदृष्टिभिः

Transliteration

niḥspṛhairapi draṣṭavyā dharmavanto dvijottamāḥ | tataḥ proktaṃ purāṇa jñairbrāhmaṇaiḥ śāstradṛṣṭibhiḥ

Translation

แม้ผู้ไร้ความปรารถนาก็ควรแสวงหาและได้เห็นบรรดาทวิชผู้ประเสริฐผู้ทรงธรรม ครั้นแล้ว พราหมณ์ผู้รู้ปุราณะ ผู้มีทัศนะตามศาสตรา ได้ประกาศถ้อยคำนี้ไว้

Word by Word

• निःस्पृहैः: by/with the desireless (persons)
• निःस्पृहैः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निःस्पृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण/सह), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थे ‘even/also’

• द्रष्टव्याः: should be seen
• द्रष्टव्याः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्तः कृत्य-विशेषणम् (gerundive/passive necessity); पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विधेय-भावः ‘to be seen/should be seen’

• धर्मवन्तः: righteous
• धर्मवन्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• द्विजोत्तमाः: best of the twice-born (brahmins)
• द्विजोत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (द्विजानाम् उत्तमाः); पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Adhikarana (Adverbial/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अव्यय-प्रयोगः (adverb) ‘thereupon/then/from that’

• प्रोक्तम्: was declared
• प्रोक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विधेयम् ‘was said/declared’

• पुराणम्: the Purāṇa (ancient lore)
• पुराणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• ज्ञैः: by the learned
• ज्ञैः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• ब्राह्मणैः: by brahmins
• ब्राह्मणैः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• शास्त्रदृष्टिभिः: with scriptural insight
• शास्त्रदृष्टिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्र + दृष्टि (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शास्त्रस्य दृष्टिः); स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

Speaker

Narrative voice (context within Mārkaṇḍeya’s discourse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of śāstra-knowing brāhmaṇas, holding manuscripts or palm-leaf bundles, declare a principle while a serene, desireless pilgrim listens; the setting suggests an āśrama near a tīrtha.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Satsaṅga is itself a tīrtha: meeting and honoring the righteous and scripturally grounded elevates one’s pilgrimage and conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single site is named; the verse elevates the ‘living tīrtha’ of righteous, learned persons.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśana and association with dharmic, learned Brahmins is recommended as a purifying act.