Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

तीर्थयात्रां व्रतं दानं नियमं संयमं तथा । परलोकमभीप्संतस्तत्र कुर्वंति मानवाः

Transliteration

tīrthayātrāṃ vrataṃ dānaṃ niyamaṃ saṃyamaṃ tathā | paralokamabhīpsaṃtastatra kurvaṃti mānavāḥ

Translation

وہاں لوگ تیرتھ یاترا، ورت، دان، نِیَم اور سَیَم (خود ضبطی) اختیار کرتے ہیں؛ اور پرلوک کی طلب میں یہ سب انوِشٹھان انجام دیتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• तीर्थ-यात्राम्: pilgrimage to a sacred place
• तीर्थ-यात्राम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक) + yātrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (तीर्थस्य यात्रा); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (Feminine; accusative singular)

• व्रतम्: vow
• व्रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (Neuter; accusative singular)

• दानम्: gift, charity
• दानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (Neuter; accusative singular)

• नियमम्: observance, rule
• नियमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (Masculine; accusative singular)

• संयमम्: self-restraint
• संयमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (Masculine; accusative singular)

• तथा: and also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक (indeclinable: “also/likewise”)

• पर-लोकम्: the next world
• पर-लोकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (परः लोकः); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (Masculine; accusative singular)

• अभीप्सन्तः: desiring
• अभीप्सन्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhi-√āp (आप्) + ipsant (कृदन्त; इच्छार्थे शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि कृदन्त (active present participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन (Masculine; nominative plural)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• कुर्वन्ति: do, perform
• कुर्वन्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ)
• Form: लट् (present); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन (3rd person plural)

• मानवाः: people, humans
• मानवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन (Masculine; nominative plural)

Speaker

Bṛhaspati (implied narration to Indra in this adhyāya’s dialogue context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: tirtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims arriving at a sacred ford with water pots; some taking vows before elders, others giving alms; ascetic figures practicing restraint; a calm, purposeful procession toward the holy place.

Characters & Entities

• Tīrtha
• Vrata
• Dāna
• Niyama
• Saṃyama
• Paraloka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is not merely travel; it is paired with vows, charity, discipline, and self-control to orient life toward dharma and the hereafter.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A tīrtha within Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya is implied; the precise site is not specified in this single verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tīrthayātrā (pilgrimage), vrata (vows), dāna (charity), niyama (religious discipline), and saṃyama (self-restraint).