Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

न मन्त्रा न तपो दानं न तीर्थं न च संयमः । समर्था रक्षितुं जंतुं पीडितं पूर्वकर्मभिः

Transliteration

na mantrā na tapo dānaṃ na tīrthaṃ na ca saṃyamaḥ | samarthā rakṣituṃ jaṃtuṃ pīḍitaṃ pūrvakarmabhiḥ

Translation

Chẳng phải thần chú, chẳng phải khổ hạnh, chẳng phải bố thí, chẳng phải thánh địa hành hương, cũng chẳng phải tự chế—đều không đủ sức che chở kẻ bị nghiệp cũ hành hạ.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• mantrāḥ: mantras
• mantrāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — masculine nominative plural

• na: nor
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — neuter nominative singular

• dānam: gift/charity
• dānam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — neuter nominative singular

• na: nor
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• tīrtham: holy place/pilgrimage
• tīrtham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — neuter nominative singular

• na: nor
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• saṃyamaḥ: self-restraint
• saṃyamaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — masculine nominative singular

• samarthāḥ: capable
• samarthāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samartha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — masculine nominative plural; विशेषण (qualifying the preceding subjects)

• rakṣitum: to protect
• rakṣitum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rakṣ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (infinitive), परस्मैपदी — infinitive “to protect”

• jantuṃ: a creature
• jantuṃ: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jantu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — masculine accusative singular

• pīḍitam: afflicted
• pīḍitam: Karman (Object-Qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pīḍita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √pīḍ धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — past passive participle used adjectivally; agrees with jantuṃ (by sense)

• pūrvakarmabhiḥ: by former actions (karma)
• pūrvakarmabhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पूर्वं कर्म = earlier deeds); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन — instrumental plural

Speaker

Unspecified (deduced: Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa narrating within a Māhātmya discourse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A reflective ascetic or pilgrim pauses at a tīrtha, seeing ritual implements (mālā, kamaṇḍalu, dāna-vessels) rendered small against the vast wheel of karma above; a suffering being is shown under the shadow of past deeds.

Characters & Entities

• Karma
• Mantra
• Tapa
• Dāna
• Tīrtha
• Saṃyama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Prior karma can ripen inexorably; spiritual means are not portrayed as automatic shields against already-fructifying deeds.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The statement is delivered within the Śrīhāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya framework (Nāgarakhaṇḍa).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Mantra, tapas, dāna, tīrtha, and saṃyama are mentioned, but not as prescriptions—rather as practices that may not avert matured past karma.