Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

स बाल एव धर्मात्मा आसीत्सर्वजनप्रियः । दानवं भावमुत्सृज्य द्विजभक्तिपरायणः

Transliteration

sa bāla eva dharmātmā āsītsarvajanapriyaḥ | dānavaṃ bhāvamutsṛjya dvijabhaktiparāyaṇaḥ

Translation

เขาแม้ยังเป็นเด็กก็เป็นผู้ตั้งมั่นในธรรม เป็นที่รักของชนทั้งปวง; ละทิ้งอุปนิสัยแห่งทานวะ แล้วมอบตนทั้งสิ้นในภักติและความเคารพต่อทวิชะ (พราหมณ์)

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• बालः: a boy/child
• बालः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेष्य-सम्बन्धे (predicate nominative)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle/emphasis)

• धर्मात्मा: righteous-souled
• धर्मात्मा: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य आत्मा)

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• सर्वजनप्रियः: dear to all people
• सर्वजनप्रियः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + जन + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषां जनानां प्रियः)

• दानवम्: demonic (of a Dānava)
• दानवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम्; 'भावम्' इति विशेषणम्

• भावम्: nature/disposition
• भावम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• उत्सृज्य: having abandoned
• उत्सृज्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत् + सृज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), 'having abandoned'

• द्विजभक्तिपरायणः: devoted to devotion toward Brahmins
• द्विजभक्तिपरायणः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्विज + भक्ति + परायण (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः तत्पुरुषः (द्विजभक्तौ परायणः)

Speaker

Narratorial voice within Tīrthamāhātmya (contextually Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa-type narrator)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvija-sattamāḥ / ṛṣi-assembly

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Young Vṛtra depicted as gentle and righteous, offering respectful salutations to brāhmaṇas; contrast between expected ‘dānava’ fierceness and his calm devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Vṛtra
• Dānava
• Brāhmaṇas (Dvija)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True nobility is ethical transformation—abandoning harmful tendencies and cultivating reverence for knowledge, dharma, and the dharmic community.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not named in this verse; the verse supports the chapter’s broader tīrtha praise by illustrating dharmic character.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, honoring and serving Brāhmaṇas (dvija-bhakti) is upheld as a dharmic practice.