Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

प्रत्यक्षमपि मे नित्यं संध्यायाश्च न लज्जसे । तस्मादेतत्परित्यज्य कर्म लज्जाकरं परम्

Transliteration

pratyakṣamapi me nityaṃ saṃdhyāyāśca na lajjase | tasmādetatparityajya karma lajjākaraṃ param

Translation

Selbst in meiner unmittelbaren Gegenwart an jedem Tag, selbst zur Zeit der Dämmerungsverehrung (Sandhyā), schämst du dich nicht. Darum gib diese Tat auf — ein Werk, das höchste Schande bringt.

Word by Word

• प्रत्यक्षम्: openly / in plain sight
• प्रत्यक्षम्: Prakara/Adhikarana (प्रकार/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रत्यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन (adverbial: openly/in presence)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावन/अप्यर्थक-निपात (particle: even/also)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन (adverbial: always)

• संध्यायाः: of the twilight / of Sandhyā
• संध्यायाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (genitive)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• लज्जसे: you are ashamed
• लज्जसे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लज्ज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; हेतौ (therefore)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सर्वनाम), द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• परित्यज्य: having completely abandoned
• परित्यज्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); उपसर्गः परि-

• कर्म: act/deed
• कर्म: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• लज्जाकरम्: shame-causing
• लज्जाकरम्: Karman (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लज्जा (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (लज्जां करोति इति)

• परम्: great/utter
• परम्: Karman (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Devī (Pārvatī/Girijā)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At twilight, with the sky turning violet, Devī rebukes Śiva for an unashamed act even in her presence during sandhyā, urging abandonment of the shame-causing deed; lamps and river-sound suggest ritual time.

Characters & Entities

• Devī (Pārvatī)
• Śiva
• Sandhyā (twilight worship)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma requires decorum and self-restraint, especially during sacred times like sandhyā; improper acts should be renounced.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse emphasizes conduct rather than naming a geography; the broader chapter is tīrtha-focused.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sandhyā (twilight worship) is referenced as a sacred observance, implying heightened ritual propriety at that time.