Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

स ज्ञात्वा मानुषेणात्र भवितव्यमसंशयम् । न शून्याः पशवो रात्रौ स्थास्यंति विजने वने

Transliteration

sa jñātvā mānuṣeṇātra bhavitavyamasaṃśayam | na śūnyāḥ paśavo rātrau sthāsyaṃti vijane vane

Translation

তিনি নিঃসন্দেহে বুঝলেন—এখানে অবশ্যই কোনো মানুষের উপস্থিতি আছে; কারণ নির্জন বনে রাত্রিকালে পশুরা একা ও অরক্ষিত অবস্থায় থাকে না।

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (prior action)

• मानुषेण: by a human
• मानुषेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• भवितव्यम्: must happen / is to be
• भवितव्यम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Gerundive/Obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (Nom./Acc. sg); भावे/कर्तरि-प्रयोगे ‘must be/should happen’

• असंशयम्: undoubtedly
• असंशयम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: असंशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• शून्याः: empty / absent
• शून्याः: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शून्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम्

• पशवः: animals
• पशवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्थास्यन्ति: will stay / will stand
• स्थास्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• विजने: in a lonely (place)
• विजने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम्

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijoत्तमāḥ (addressed audience: best of brāhmaṇas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solitary figure in a dark, sparse forest at night, watching a small herd; the animals cluster uneasily, suggesting an unseen human presence nearby; moonlight filters through trees.

Characters & Entities

• Dvija (implicit)
• Animals (paśu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is recognized through signs: protection and order are inferred where fearlessness appears; guardianship is a moral expectation in society.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The forested kṣetra around Ajāgṛha, where the goats’ behavior signals a protected sacred zone.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it highlights the practical dharma of vigilance/protection rather than a formal rite.