Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 358

Devanagari script

एतस्मात्कारणान्नष्टा त्वत्समीपादहं विभो । श्राद्धकालेऽपि संप्राप्ते सत्येनात्मानमालभे

Transliteration

etasmātkāraṇānnaṣṭā tvatsamīpādahaṃ vibho | śrāddhakāle'pi saṃprāpte satyenātmānamālabhe

Translation

لهذا السبب بعينه غبتُ عن حضرتك، يا ربّ يا جليل. وحتى إذا أقبل وقت الشْرادْدها (Śrāddha) فإنما أُقيم نفسي بالصدق وحده، بعهد الصدق الذي ألزمته.

Word by Word

• एतस्मात्: from this
• एतस्मात्: Apādāna (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ablative singular (‘from this’)

• कारणात्: cause, reason
• कारणात्: Apādāna (Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ablative singular neuter

• नष्टा: lost, perished
• नष्टा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √नश् ‘to perish’)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular feminine

• त्वत्-समीपात्: from your vicinity
• त्वत्-समीपात्: Apādāna (Source/Separation/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + समीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘त्वत्समीपात्’; ablative singular neuter

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular (1st person pronoun)

• विभो: O Lord, O mighty one
• विभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; vocative singular masculine

• श्राद्ध-काले: at the time of śrāddha
• श्राद्ध-काले: Adhikaraṇa (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘श्राद्धस्य काले’; locative singular masculine

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कार (particle: ‘even, also’)

• संप्राप्ते: when it has come/arrived
• संप्राप्ते: Adhikaraṇa (Time circumstance/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + प्र + आप् (धातु) → संप्राप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; locative singular; ‘when (it) has arrived’

• सत्येन: by truth, with truthfulness
• सत्येन: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; instrumental singular neuter

• आत्मानम्: myself, the self
• आत्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; accusative singular masculine

• आलबे: I take/undertake; I resort to
• आलबे: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान/Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; 1st sg present middle

Speaker

Unclear from snippet (dialogue voice within Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas/Ṛṣis (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee/figure speaks to a lord, explaining a disappearance due to a specific cause; the atmosphere is solemn, with śrāddha-time suggested—offerings, kusa grass, and quiet resolve—while the speaker embodies satya-vrata.

Characters & Entities

• Śrāddha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Satya (truthfulness) is presented as a sustaining dharma, even amid obligations like Śrāddha—inner integrity is itself a spiritual support.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha is not named within this single verse; it belongs to the broader Adhyāya 20 Tīrthamāhātmya narrative where the location is specified.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śrāddha is referenced as a ritual time/occasion, but no step-by-step prescription (dāna, piṇḍa, tarpaṇa, etc.) is given in this verse.