Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

नृपो मरीचसंत्यागाच्छुण्ठीत्यागेन सत्कविः । शर्करायाः परित्यागाज्जायते राजपूजितः

Transliteration

nṛpo marīcasaṃtyāgācchuṇṭhītyāgena satkaviḥ | śarkarāyāḥ parityāgājjāyate rājapūjitaḥ

Translation

舍弃黑胡椒（marīca）者，得成王者；舍弃干姜（śuṇṭhī）者，得为高贵诗人。舍弃糖者，来生为诸王所敬。

Word by Word

• नृपः: a king
• नृपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मरीचसंत्यागात्: from renouncing pepper
• मरीचसंत्यागात्: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरीच (प्रातिपदिक) + संत्याग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; समासः—मरीचस्य संत्यागः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• शुण्ठीत्यागेन: by (the) renunciation of dry ginger
• शुण्ठीत्यागेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुण्ठी (प्रातिपदिक) + त्याग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; समासः—शुण्ठ्याः त्यागः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• सत्कविः: a good poet
• सत्कविः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + कवि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—सन् कविः (विशेषण-विशेष्यभावः)

• शर्करायाः: of sugar
• शर्करायाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्करा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परित्यागात्: from renunciation
• परित्यागात्: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परि + त्याग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जायते: is born/becomes
• जायते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• राजपूजितः: honoured by kings
• राजपूजितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—राज्ञा पूजितः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgara-khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya instructional tone)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee declines pepper, dry ginger, and sugar; in symbolic future scenes he is crowned as king, lauded as poet in an assembly, and honored by rulers—showing worldly fruits of restraint.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Discipline over palate and luxury is said to mature into honor, excellence, and leadership.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is directly referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Renouncing marīca (pepper), śuṇṭhī (dry ginger), and śarkarā (sugar) as part of vow-discipline.