Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

यूकामत्कुणदंशादीन्सर्वसत्त्वानि यो नरः । पुत्रवत्पालयेन्नित्यं न प्रेतो जायते नरः

Transliteration

yūkāmatkuṇadaṃśādīnsarvasattvāni yo naraḥ | putravatpālayennityaṃ na preto jāyate naraḥ

Translation

Người luôn che chở mọi loài hữu tình—dẫu là chấy, rệp và các loài cắn đốt—như con ruột của mình, thì không sinh làm preta (ngạ quỷ).

Word by Word

• yūkāmatkuṇadaṃśādīn: lice, bedbugs, gnats, etc.
• yūkāmatkuṇadaṃśādīn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yūkā (प्रातिपदिक) + matkuṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + daṃśa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (यूका-मत्कुण-दंश-आदि)

• sarvasattvāni: all living beings
• sarvasattvāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + sattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (सर्वाणि सत्त्वानि)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• naraḥ: man
• naraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• putravat: like (one's) son
• putravat: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपमानार्थक-क्रियाविशेषण)

• pālayet: should protect, should care for
• pālayet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pāl (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; ‘should protect/care for’

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• pretaḥ: a preta
• pretaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: preta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय

• jāyate: is born/becomes
• jāyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• naraḥ: man
• naraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Māṃsāda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A compassionate person gently shelters tiny creatures—lifting a small insect from water, placing it safely on a leaf—while others look on in surprise; the figure’s expression is parental and protective.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Radical non-violence and compassion toward all life, even the smallest, is praised as a purifier of karma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; the verse supports tīrtha-dharma by emphasizing universal kindness as the true inner pilgrimage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A behavioral vow of protection/non-harm (ahiṃsā) toward all creatures.