Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

कर्मनिष्ठाश्च ते नित्यं सृष्ट्यर्थं सततोद्यताः । निर्व्यापारो विष्णुभक्त एकांतब्रह्मसेवकः

Transliteration

karmaniṣṭhāśca te nityaṃ sṛṣṭyarthaṃ satatodyatāḥ | nirvyāpāro viṣṇubhakta ekāṃtabrahmasevakaḥ

Translation

เหล่าฤๅษีเหล่านั้นตั้งมั่นในกรรมอยู่เสมอ เพียรพยายามไม่หยุดเพื่อกิจแห่งการสร้างสรรค์ แต่ท่านเป็นผู้ไร้กิจทางโลก เป็นภักตะแห่งพระวิษณุ และเป็นผู้บำเพ็ญพรหมันด้วยใจเอกัคคตา

Word by Word

• कर्मनिष्ठाः: steadfast in action/duty
• कर्मनिष्ठाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्म-निष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; कर्म + निष्ठ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभावप्रयोग)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोग; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (always)

• सृष्ट्यर्थम्: for the purpose of creation
• सृष्ट्यर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; सृष्टि + अर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनवाचक (purpose)

• सततोद्यताः: constantly ready/engaged
• सततोद्यताः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सतत-उद्यत (प्रातिपदिक; सतत + उद्यत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• निर्व्यापारः: inactive, without activity
• निर्व्यापारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-व्यापार (प्रातिपदिक; निर् + व्यापार)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विष्णुभक्तः: devotee of Viṣṇu
• विष्णुभक्तः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष्णु-भक्त (प्रातिपदिक; विष्णु + भक्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• एकान्तब्रह्मसेवकः: exclusive servant of Brahman
• एकान्तब्रह्मसेवकः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकान्त-ब्रह्म-सेवक (प्रातिपदिक; एकान्त + ब्रह्म + सेवक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Brahmā (addressing Nārada)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nārada

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of sages engaged in ritual and creative duties, contrasted with one serene sage seated apart, absorbed in Viṣṇu-bhakti and Brahman contemplation, with a subtle Viṣṇu emblem (śaṅkha-cakra) in the aura.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Nārada
• Viṣṇu
• Brahman
• Mind-born sages

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma accommodates both active service (karma) and one-pointed devotion/realization (bhakti-jñāna); both can be sacred when aligned to the Highest.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified here; the verse highlights the saintly qualification of the listener within the māhātmya narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse commends devotion to Viṣṇu and exclusive Brahman-service as a spiritual orientation.