Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

ममतारूपिणीं ग्राहीं दुष्टां निर्भर्त्स्य निग्रहेत् । तप एव सदा पुंसां चातुर्मास्येऽधिगौरवम्

Transliteration

mamatārūpiṇīṃ grāhīṃ duṣṭāṃ nirbhartsya nigrahet | tapa eva sadā puṃsāṃ cāturmāsye'dhigauravam

Translation

ممتا (میرا پن) کی صورت والی اس بدخو ‘گرفت کرنے والی’ کو ملامت کر کے روکنا چاہیے۔ چاتُرمَاس کے زمانے میں تپسیا ہی لوگوں کا دائمی سہارا ہے، جو خاص وقار و فضیلت پاتی ہے۔

Word by Word

• mamatārūpiṇīm: having the form of possessiveness (‘mine-ness’)
• mamatārūpiṇīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mamatā + rūpinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (having the form of ‘mine-ness’)

• grāhīm: the grasping one; crocodile (metaphorically)
• grāhīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grāhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• duṣṭām: wicked
• duṣṭām: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of grāhīm)

• nirbhartsya: having rebuked
• nirbhartsya: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nir + √bharts (भर्त्स्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): ‘having rebuked’

• nigrahet: should restrain, should subdue
• nigrahet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni + √grah (ग्रह्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• eva: alone, indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• puṃsām: of men, of people
• puṃsām: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṃs (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), बहुवचन

• cāturmāsye: in Cāturmāsya
• cāturmāsye: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cāturmāsya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• adhigauravam: greater importance/weight
• adhigauravam: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhi + gaurava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव (excess/superior weightiness)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya didactic context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-ascetic confronts a shadowy crocodile-like figure labeled ‘mamatā’ emerging from a river of attachment; the ascetic raises a staff of tapas, while a calendar-like motif marks Cāturmāsya clouds and monsoon.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Restrain possessiveness (‘mine-ness’) and strengthen tapas, especially during Cāturmāsya, to purify conduct and intention.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse functions as general Cāturmāsya-dharma instruction within the Tīrthamāhātmya setting; it does not name a particular tīrtha in the line itself.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The prescription is tapas (austerity/discipline) with heightened emphasis in Cāturmāsya—implying vows, restraint, and regulated living.