Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 60
Devanagari script
ततस्तु पदवीं वीक्ष्य तस्य तां चलितो ध्रुवम् । वृद्ध भावात्परिश्रांतो वावृत्य स मठं गतः
Transliteration
tatastu padavīṃ vīkṣya tasya tāṃ calito dhruvam | vṛddha bhāvātpariśrāṃto vāvṛtya sa maṭhaṃ gataḥ
Translation
ثم، عندما رأى أثر طريقه، انطلق وراءه بلا شك؛ ولكن، وقد أنهكته الشيخوخة، عاد أدراجه وذهب إلى الدير.
Word by Word
ततःthen
ततः:
Adhikarana (Temporal)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottatas (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; क्रमवाचक (then)
तुbut/indeed
तु:
Sambandha (Discourse particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu (अव्यय)
Formविरोध/विशेषणार्थक-अव्यय (but/indeed)
पदवीम्the track/path
पदवीम्:
Karma (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootpadavī (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; 'पदवी' = मार्ग/पदचिह्न-मार्ग (track/path)
वीक्ष्यhaving seen
वीक्ष्य:
Kriya (Prior action)
TypeVerb
Root√īkṣ (धातु) + वि-; ल्यप् (absolutive)
Formल्यपन्त-अव्ययकृदन्त: 'having looked at/seen'
तस्यof him
तस्य:
Sambandha (Possessor)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन
ताम्that (track)
ताम्:
Karma (Object)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
चलितःset out
चलितः:
Karta (Subject complement)
TypeAdjective
Root√cal (धातु) + क्त (भूतकृदन्त)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'चलितः' = गतः/प्रस्थितः (set out/moved)
ध्रुवम्certainly
ध्रुवम्:
Sambandha (Manner/Emphasis)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootdhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययीभूत-विशेषण (indeclinable adverbial use): 'certainly'
वृद्धold age
वृद्ध:
Sambandha (Qualifier in compound)
TypeAdjective
Rootvṛddha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-सम्बन्धे); 'वृद्ध' = old/aged
भावात्due to the condition
भावात्:
Hetu (Cause)
TypeNoun
Rootbhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; 'भावात्' = कारणात् (due to condition)
परिश्रान्तःexhausted
परिश्रान्तः:
Karta (Subject qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Root√śram (धातु) + परि- + क्त (भूतकृदन्त)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'परिश्रान्तः' = अत्यन्तं श्रान्तः (exhausted)
वावृत्यhaving turned back
वावृत्य:
Kriya (Prior action)
TypeVerb
Root√vṛt (धातु) + आ-; क्त्वा (आवृत्य)
Formक्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त: 'having turned back/returned'
सःhe
सः:
Karta (Subject)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
मठम्to the monastery
मठम्:
Karma (Goal as object)
TypeNoun
Rootmaṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
गतःwent
गतः:
Kriya (Action)
TypeVerb
Root√gam (धातु) + क्त (भूतकृदन्त)
Formभूतकृदन्त (past participle) प्रयुक्तः क्रियार्थे; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'gone'
Speaker
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: An elderly man follows footprints on a dusty road, then pauses, leaning on a staff, turning back toward a quiet monastery with a small gateway and sacred flag.
FAQs
Human limitation (age and exhaustion) redirects effort from pursuit to refuge—often preparing the narrative turn toward divine help and tīrtha power.
The adhyāya context is Jāgeśvara tīrtha-māhātmya, though the verse emphasizes movement back to the maṭha.
None.