Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 18
Devanagari script
श्वः कार्यमद्य कुर्वीत पूर्वाह्णे चापराह्णिकम् । न हि प्रतीक्षते मृत्युः कृतं वास्य न वा कृतम्
Transliteration
śvaḥ kāryamadya kurvīta pūrvāhṇe cāparāhṇikam | na hi pratīkṣate mṛtyuḥ kṛtaṃ vāsya na vā kṛtam
Translation
ما كان ينبغي فعله غدًا فافعله اليوم، وما كان للبعدَ الظهر فافعله في الضحى؛ فإن الموت لا ينتظر ليرى أأُنجز العمل أم لم يُنجَز.
Word by Word
श्वःtomorrow
श्वः:
Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootश्वः (अव्यय)
Formकालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: tomorrow)
कार्यम्what should be done, duty
कार्यम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; ‘to-be-done’ sense
अद्यtoday
अद्य:
Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअद्य (अव्यय)
Formकालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: today)
कुर्वीतshould do
कुर्वीत:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद
पूर्वाह्णेin the forenoon
पूर्वाह्णे:
Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootपूर्व-अह्न (प्रातिपदिक); पूर्व + अह्न
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन
चand
च:
Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)
अपराह्णिकम्afternoon rite/act
अपराह्णिकम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootअपर-अह्निक (प्रातिपदिक); अपर + अह्निक
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; (कर्म)
नnot
न:
Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-निपात (negation particle)
हिindeed, for
हि:
Nipata (Particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formहेतौ/अवधारणे निपात (particle: indeed/for)
प्रतीक्षतेwaits (for)
प्रतीक्षते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootप्रति-ईक्ष् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद
मृत्युःdeath
मृत्युः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन
कृतम्done
कृतम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootकृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; ‘done’ (object of ‘waits for’ in sense)
वाor
वा:
Vikalpa (Alternative/विकल्प)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formविकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive: or)
अस्यof this person / his
अस्य:
Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootइदम् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
नnot
न:
Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-निपात (negation particle)
वाor
वा:
Vikalpa (Alternative/विकल्प)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formविकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)
कृतम्not done / done (in contrast)
कृतम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootकृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन
Speaker
Aśvasena
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A didactic moment: a teacher warns a listener that tomorrow’s work must be done today, for death does not wait; the atmosphere is sober and contemplative.
Characters & Entities
M
Mṛtyu (Death)FAQs
Impermanence demands immediate practice—postponed dharma may never be completed.
None; the verse gives a universal dharma teaching on urgency.
A general injunction to perform duties promptly; it supports the request for a one-day vrata.