Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

स योगी ब्रह्मरूपेण जीवन्नेव समाप्यते । अज्ञानी बाध्यते नित्यं कर्मभिर्बंधनात्मकैः

Transliteration

sa yogī brahmarūpeṇa jīvanneva samāpyate | ajñānī bādhyate nityaṃ karmabhirbaṃdhanātmakaiḥ

Translation

وہ یوگی جیتے جی برہمن کے روپ میں کامل ہو جاتا ہے؛ مگر جاہل آدمی ہمیشہ بندھن کی فطرت والے اعمال سے بندھا اور ستایا جاتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• योगी: the yogin
• योगी: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मरूपेण: in the form of Brahman
• ब्रह्मरूपेण: Karana (Instrument/means; also manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म-रूप (प्रातिपदिक; ब्रह्मन् + रूप)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• जीवन्: living
• जीवन्: Karta (Participial qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु) + शतृ (प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (Emphatic particle)

• समाप्यते: is completed/comes to an end
• समाप्यते: Kriya (Predicate action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (passive-like: 'comes to completion')

• अज्ञानी: the ignorant person
• अज्ञानी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-ज्ञानिन् (प्रातिपदिक; अ + ज्ञानिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• बाध्यते: is bound/afflicted
• बाध्यते: Kriya (Predicate action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बाध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb)

• कर्मभिः: by actions (deeds)
• कर्मभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• बन्धनात्मकैः: of the nature of bondage
• बन्धनात्मकैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बन्धन-आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक; बन्धन + आत्मक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (कर्मभिः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya didactic narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two contrasted figures: a luminous, tranquil yogin seated in meditation with a subtle Brahman-aura; beside him an agitated householder entangled in chains labeled 'karma', symbolizing bondage born of ignorance.

Characters & Entities

• Brahman

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Knowledge liberates even in embodied life (jīvanmukti), while ignorance makes karma a chain.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is named; the verse supports the Mahātmya’s broader aim of guiding seekers toward liberation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the emphasis is on jñāna (spiritual knowledge) and the karmic consequences of ignorance.