Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

ज्ञानार्थं च भ्रमन्मर्त्यो विद्यास्थानेषु सर्वशः । सद्यो ज्ञानं सद्गुरुतो दीपार्चिरिव निर्मला

Transliteration

jñānārthaṃ ca bhramanmartyo vidyāsthāneṣu sarvaśaḥ | sadyo jñānaṃ sadguruto dīpārciriva nirmalā

Translation

แม้มรรตย์จะพเนจรไปทั่วเพื่อแสวงญาณ แต่ญาณอันบริสุทธิ์ย่อมบังเกิดฉับพลันจากสัตคุรุแท้—ดุจเปลวประทีปอันไร้มลทิน

Word by Word

• ज्ञानार्थम्: for (the sake of) knowledge
• ज्ञानार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (purpose adverb): 'ज्ञानस्य अर्थम्' = for knowledge

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• भ्रमन्: wandering, roaming
• भ्रमन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'मर्त्यः' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• मर्त्यः: a mortal man
• मर्त्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विद्यास्थानेषु: in places of learning
• विद्यास्थानेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विद्यायाः स्थानानि)

• सर्वशः: everywhere, in all ways
• सर्वशः: Adhikarana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• सद्यः: immediately
• सद्यः: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सद्यस् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सद्गुरुतः: from the true guru
• सद्गुरुतः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (सद्गुरुः) + तसिल्-प्रत्ययार्थ (from the true guru)

• दीपार्चिः: flame of a lamp
• दीपार्चिः: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दीपस्य अर्चिः)

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (Comparison marker/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-वाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• निर्मला: pure, spotless
• निर्मला: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'अर्चिः' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya didactic narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A weary seeker who has wandered among many seats of learning finally sits before a serene guru; a single lamp burns with a spotless flame, symbolizing instant clarity.

Characters & Entities

• Sadguru (true teacher)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Scriptural roaming is secondary; direct, purifying insight is kindled by a realized teacher.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tirtha is named; the verse emphasizes the ‘living tirtha’ of the sadguru in the pilgrim’s journey.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Seeking refuge in and learning from a sadguru is implied; no formal ritual act is specified.