Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

अशक्त्या हि शरीरस्य नियमानां कथं चरेत् । व्रतं हि सुकुमारांगो दानैर्वापि वदस्व नः

Transliteration

aśaktyā hi śarīrasya niyamānāṃ kathaṃ caret | vrataṃ hi sukumārāṃgo dānairvāpi vadasva naḥ

Translation

“Nhưng nếu thân thể yếu nhược, làm sao có thể thực hành những kỷ luật nghiêm ngặt? Xin nói cho chúng tôi một giới nguyện thích hợp cho người thân thể mảnh mai—hoặc con đường qua bố thí và làm phúc.”

Word by Word

• aśaktyā: due to inability
• aśaktyā: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (Instrumental singular); हेतौ (because of)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः (emphatic particle)

• śarīrasya: of the body
• śarīrasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (Genitive singular)

• niyamānām: of the rules (observances)
• niyamānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (Genitive plural)

• katham: how
• katham: Sambandha (Interrogative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्ययम् (interrogative adverb)

• caret: should one practice/perform
• caret: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• vratam: a vow
• vratam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (Accusative singular)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः (emphatic particle)

• sukumārāṅgaḥ: O one with a delicate body
• sukumārāṅgaḥ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su-kumāra-aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (Nominative singular); संबोधनार्थे/कर्ता-रूपे प्रयोगः

• dānaiḥ: by gifts; through donations
• dānaiḥ: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (Instrumental plural)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्ययम् (disjunctive particle)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-निपातः (also/even)

• vadasva: tell; speak
• vadasva: Kriya (Request/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vad (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

• naḥ: to us
• naḥ: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (Gen/Dat plural); अत्र चतुर्थी (to us)

Speaker

Ṛṣis (sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: pilgrims/ṛṣis (inquisitors)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-assembly respectfully questions the narrator about a gentle vow for the weak-bodied; the atmosphere is compassionate and instructional, with ascetics and householders listening.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣis
• Vrata
• Niyama
• Dāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma accommodates human limitation: when austerities are difficult, suitable vratas and dāna provide an accessible path of merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tirtha is named in this verse; it focuses on practical dharma and eligibility.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It requests guidance on a manageable vrata and/or merit through dāna (charitable giving) for those unable to keep strict niyamas.