Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

ततो मयाऽखिला भूमिस्तद्वरार्थं विलोकिता । न तदर्थं वरो लब्धः सर्वैः समुचितो गुणैः

Transliteration

tato mayā'khilā bhūmistadvarārthaṃ vilokitā | na tadarthaṃ varo labdhaḥ sarvaiḥ samucito guṇaiḥ

Translation

แล้วข้าพเจ้าได้เที่ยวตรวจดูทั่วทั้งแผ่นดินเพื่อแสวงหาบุรุษผู้จะเป็นเจ้าบ่าวเช่นนั้น; แต่ก็ไม่พบผู้ใดเหมาะสมต่อความประสงค์นั้น ผู้เพียบพร้อมด้วยคุณธรรมอันควรครบถ้วน

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then, thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable adverb; अर्थे: 'ततः/अनन्तरम्'

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुष; तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; लिङ्ग-निर्देशः न (pronoun)

• akhilā: entire, whole
• akhilā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akhila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• bhūmiḥ: earth, land
• bhūmiḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• tad: of that
• tad: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-सम्बन्धे (genitive sense) अव्यक्त-समासाङ्ग; 'तस्य' इत्यर्थः; समासपूर्वपदम्

• vara-artham: for the purpose of (obtaining) a boon
• vara-artham: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध): 'वरस्य अर्थः' = purpose of the boon; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• vilokitā: was examined/seen
• vilokitā: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi√lok (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे 'विलोकिता (मया)' = was looked at/inspected

• na: not
• na: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध-निपात)

• tad-artham: for that purpose
• tad-artham: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: 'तस्य अर्थः' = that purpose; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (क्रियाविशेषणवत्)

• varaḥ: a boon
• varaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• labdhaḥ: was obtained
• labdhaḥ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √labh (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त, past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'लब्धः' = obtained

• sarvaiḥ: with all
• sarvaiḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (गुणैः इति सह)

• samucitaḥ: endowed, fitting
• samucitaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-√ci (धातु) / samucita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त/विशेषण (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'समुचितः' = endowed/appropriate

• guṇaiḥ: with qualities
• guṇaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

Speaker

Garuḍa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dignified seeker (often a brāhmaṇa/elder figure in narrative context) surveying the vast earth—cities, forests, rivers—yet returning unsatisfied, holding a mental image of the ‘ideal’ endowed with all virtues.

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa
• Bhūmi (Earth)
• Mādhavī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True worth is measured by virtues; dharmic choices require discernment rather than mere availability or worldly status.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it is part of the narrative journey motif.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.