Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

तस्माद्वाक्यं त्वया कार्यं यद्येषा धर्मसंस्थितिः । नाहं निषेधनीयस्तु व्रजमानस्तपोवनम्

Transliteration

tasmādvākyaṃ tvayā kāryaṃ yadyeṣā dharmasaṃsthitiḥ | nāhaṃ niṣedhanīyastu vrajamānastapovanam

Translation

অতএব, যদি এটাই ধর্মের প্রতিষ্ঠিত পথ হয়, তবে তোমাকে আমার বাক্য মানতে হবে। আমাকে বাধা দিও না; আমি তপোবনের দিকে যাত্রা করছি।

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Sambandha (Cause-link/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: हेतौ/तस्मात्-प्रयोगः (ablatival adverbial: 'therefore/from that reason')

• वाक्यम्: word/statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कार्यम्: to be done/should be done
• कार्यम्: Kriya (Predicate adjective/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + कार्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भाव्य/कर्तव्य-अर्थक कृदन्त (णीयत्/यत्-प्रत्ययार्थ: 'to be done'), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वाक्यम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle: 'if')

• एषा: this
• एषा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• धर्मसंस्थितिः: the established dharma/order
• धर्मसंस्थितिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्थिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('established order of dharma'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निषेधनीयः: to be restrained/forbidden
• निषेधनीयः: Kriya (Predicate adjective/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + सिध्/षिध् (धातु) + निषेधनीय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्तव्य/योग्य-अर्थक कृदन्त (णीयत्-प्रत्यय: 'to be forbidden'), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अहम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (adversative particle: 'but/indeed')

• व्रजमानः: going
• व्रजमानः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु) + व्रजमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ-प्रत्यय, present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अहम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तपोवनम्: to the forest of penance
• तपोवनम्: Karma (Goal/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('forest of austerity'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified (contextual dialogue within Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Tapovana (archetypal)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vyāsa / elders

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śuka stands poised to depart, staff and waterpot implied; Vyāsa or elders nearby, hands half-raised as if to stop him; Śuka’s gesture is calm yet decisive, pointing toward the forest path.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma is clear, one should act decisively—especially in pursuing tapas and spiritual discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it emphasizes the ideal of going to a tapovana within the broader Tīrthamāhātmya context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed; the instruction is ethical and ascetic—do not obstruct one who is departing for tapas.