Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

एतस्य प्राणरक्षार्थं ब्रूहि जानासि चेन्नृपम्

Transliteration

etasya prāṇarakṣārthaṃ brūhi jānāsi cennṛpam

Translation

Wenn du es weißt, o König, so sage mir das Mittel, durch das das Leben dieses Mannes bewahrt werden kann.

Word by Word

• एतस्य: of this (man)
• एतस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचनम्

• प्राण: of life
• प्राण: Sambandha (Genitival relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचनम् (in compound)

• रक्षा: protection
• रक्षा: Sambandha (Genitival relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचनम् (in compound)

• अर्थम्: for the sake/purpose
• अर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: प्राणरक्षायाः अर्थम् (=for the sake of protecting life)

• ब्रूहि: tell
• ब्रूहि: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनम्

• जानासि: you know
• जानासि: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनम्

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (Condition marker/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (शर्तार्थक/conditional particle)

• नृपम्: the king
• नृपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचनम्

Speaker

Unspecified (contextual dialogue within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa, Kaumārikākhaṇḍa)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Baka (addressed as nṛpa in the translation context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A supplicant posture: Mārkaṇḍeya (or the petitioner) asks the king/knower for a life-saving method; the listener is shown as thoughtful, weighing memory and counsel.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Compassionate action aligned with dharma includes actively seeking means to preserve life and relieve suffering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions as a narrative prompt within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse requests guidance for life-protection rather than prescribing a rite.