Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

ततो राज्यं चिरं कृत्वा दृष्ट्वा पुत्रोद्भवान्सुतान् । कालधर्ममनुप्राप्तः कस्मिंश्चित्कालपर्यये

Transliteration

tato rājyaṃ ciraṃ kṛtvā dṛṣṭvā putrodbhavānsutān | kāladharmamanuprāptaḥ kasmiṃścitkālaparyaye

Translation

ثم بعد أن حكم المملكة زمنًا طويلًا ورأى أبناءً وذريةً يولدون من سلالته، بلغ سُنّة «كالا»؛ أي ناموس الزمن (الموت)، حين أقبلت دورةٌ من دورات الدهر.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: thereafter/from that)

• राज्यम्: kingdom/rule
• राज्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• चिरम्: for a long time
• चिरम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः (adverbial accusative: for a long time)

• कृत्वा: having done/ruled
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• पुत्रोद्भवान्: born of (his) sons
• पुत्रोद्भवान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुत्र + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural) — ‘सुतान्’ विशेषणम्

• सुतान्: sons/children
• सुतान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कालधर्मम्: the law/inevitability of time (death)
• कालधर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अनुप्राप्तः: having reached/attained
• अनुप्राप्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• कस्मिंश्चित्: at some
• कस्मिंश्चित्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular) — अनिश्चितार्थे ‘चित्’ (indefinite)

• कालपर्यये: at a certain turn/period of time
• कालपर्यये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल + पर्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An aged king on his final bed, surrounded by sons and grandsons; priests recite; a subtle personification of Kāla (shadowy wheel/time-cycle) looms, while the king’s earlier gifts are remembered in symbolic flashes.

Characters & Entities

• Kāla (Time)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even long rule and prosperity end under kāla (Time); the narrative redirects attention from power to dharma and lasting merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it transitions the story toward the next phase where tīrtha-related consequences may unfold.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative statement about mortality.