Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

तथा कीर्तिकृतां लोके कीर्तनं क्रियते नरैः । ततः संपश्यतां चास्य कीर्तिर्नास्य तु दुर्मतेः

Transliteration

tathā kīrtikṛtāṃ loke kīrtanaṃ kriyate naraiḥ | tataḥ saṃpaśyatāṃ cāsya kīrtirnāsya tu durmateḥ

Translation

دنیا میں لوگ سچی شہرت پیدا کرنے والوں کا چرچا کرتے ہیں؛ مگر سب کے دیکھتے ہوئے بھی اس بدعقل کی ناموری قائم نہ رہے گی۔

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, likewise
• तथा: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/तुल्य-निर्देशक (adverb: ‘thus/so’)

• कीर्तिकृताम्: of the fame-makers (those who create fame)
• कीर्तिकृताम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीर्ति + कृत (कृ धातु; क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle used as noun); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कीर्तिं कृतवन्तः)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• कीर्तनम्: praise, proclamation
• कीर्तनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीर्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• क्रियते: is done, is performed
• क्रियते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• नरैः: by men
• नरैः: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• ततः: therefore, from that
• ततः: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Source/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/कारणार्थ (ablatival adverb: ‘therefore/from that’)

• संपश्यताम्: you all observe/see
• संपश्यताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + पश्य (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; आज्ञार्थे/अनुज्ञार्थे (imperative-like usage: ‘you all see’)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• अस्य: of this man, of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-शब्द

• कीर्तिः: fame
• कीर्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-शब्द

• तु: but
• तु: Vyatireka (Contrast/व्यतिरेक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेष-निपात (adversative particle: ‘but/however’)

• दुर्मतेः: of the evil-minded one
• दुर्मतेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर् + मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (दुर्मतिः = दुष्टा मतिः यस्य)

Speaker

Brāhmaṇas (Dvijas)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Townfolk speak of ‘true fame’ while the ill-minded patron stands apart; the unfinished shrine and whispering crowd show that public acclaim cannot stabilize inner failure.

Characters & Entities

• Nara (people)
• Kīrti (fame/renown)
• Durmati (ill-minded person)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True fame is portrayed as dharma-born; without virtue, public visibility does not become lasting kīrti.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; the verse focuses on moral consequence within the chapter’s narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a moral assertion about fame and merit.