Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

अपुत्रो लभते पुत्रान्धनार्थी धनमाप्नुयात् । बहुवैरोऽरिनाशं च विद्यार्थी शास्त्रविद्भवेत्

Transliteration

aputro labhate putrāndhanārthī dhanamāpnuyāt | bahuvairo'rināśaṃ ca vidyārthī śāstravidbhavet

Translation

无子者得子；求财者得财；多怨多敌者得以灭除仇敌；而学子则通达诸论典（śāstra）。

Word by Word

• अपुत्रः: a sonless man
• अपुत्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नञ्-समाससदृश-निषेध (a-sonless)

• लभते: obtains
• लभते: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• पुत्रान्: sons
• पुत्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• धनार्थी: one desiring wealth
• धनार्थी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन + अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (धनस्य अर्थी)

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आप्नुयात्: should obtain
• आप्नुयात्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• बहुवैरः: one with many enemies
• बहुवैरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु + वैर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (बहूनि वैराणि यस्य)

• अरिनाशम्: destruction of enemies
• अरिनाशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरि + नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अरेः नाशः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• विद्यार्थी: a student/seeker of knowledge
• विद्यार्थी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या + अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (विद्यायाः अर्थी)

• शास्त्रवित्: knower of scripture
• शास्त्रवित्: Kriyā (Predicate complement/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्र + विद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (शास्त्रं वेत्ति इति)

• भवेत्: should become
• भवेत्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Sūta (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Puṣpāditya (shrine/deity)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Four vignettes around the central deity: a childless couple praying, a merchant offering coins, a troubled man seeking relief from foes, and a student with manuscripts receiving blessing—each linked to Puṣpāditya’s grace.

Characters & Entities

• Puṣpāditya (implicit)
• śāstra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic devotion integrates worldly welfare with dharma: legitimate aims like progeny, prosperity, protection, and education are sought through sacred worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha of Puṣpāditya within Nāgara-khaṇḍa Adhyāya 155 (site-name not stated in this verse).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied worship (pūjā) of Puṣpāditya as the means for these stated boons.