Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

अथवा वित्थ नो यूयं त्यक्ष्यामीह कलेवरम् । प्रविश्याग्निं जलं वाऽपि भक्षयित्वाऽथ वा विषम्

Transliteration

athavā vittha no yūyaṃ tyakṣyāmīha kalevaram | praviśyāgniṃ jalaṃ vā'pi bhakṣayitvā'tha vā viṣam

Translation

Oder wenn ihr keines kennt, werde ich diesen Körper hier aufgeben, indem ich ins Feuer oder ins Wasser gehe oder Gift zu mir nehme.

Word by Word

• athavā: Or else
• athavā: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: athavā
• Form: Conjunction (Alternative)

• vittha: You know
• vittha: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (विद्)
• Form: Lat (Present/Perfect acting as Present), Parasmaipada, Madhyama Purusha (2nd Person), Bahuvachana (Plural)

• no: Not
• no: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na + u (न + उ)
• Form: Negative Particle with emphasis

• yūyam: You all
• yūyam: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (युष्मद्)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative (1st), Plural

• tyakṣyāmi: I will abandon
• tyakṣyāmi: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tyaj (त्यज्)
• Form: Lrt (Future), Parasmaipada, Uttama Purusha (1st Person), Ekavachana (Singular)

• iha: Here
• iha: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha
• Form: Adverb of Place

• kalevaram: Body
• kalevaram: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalevara (कलेवर)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• praviśya: Having entered
• praviśya: Purvakalika Kriya (Prior Action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra + viś (प्र + विश्)
• Form: Lyap Pratyaya (Gerund/Absolutive)

• agnim: Fire
• agnim: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (अग्नि)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• jalam: Water
• jalam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (जल)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• vā: Or
• vā: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā
• Form: Conjunction

• api: Also/Even
• api: Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api
• Form: Conjunction/Emphasis

• bhakṣayitvā: Having eaten/consumed
• bhakṣayitvā: Purvakalika Kriya (Prior Action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhakṣ (भक्ष्)
• Form: Ktva Pratyaya (Gerund/Absolutive)

• atha: Then/Or
• atha: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha
• Form: Conjunction

• vā: Or
• vā: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā
• Form: Conjunction

• viṣam: Poison
• viṣam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣa (विष)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

Speaker

Cāmatkāra (king) (deduced from first-person vow within the illness narrative)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A distressed king, surrounded by silent attendants, declares he will end his life by fire, water, or poison; sages nearby look alarmed yet composed.

Characters & Entities

• Fire (agni)
• Water (jala)
• Poison (viṣa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse depicts the extremity of despair that precedes transformation; Purāṇic tīrtha narratives often turn such crisis into renewed faith and dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not directly named here; it is part of the lead-up to the chapter’s tīrtha focus—Śaṅkhatīrtha in Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None as a recommended rite; the actions listed (fire, water, poison) are expressions of desperation, not dharmic prescriptions.