Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

तस्मादद्य समालोक्य कश्चिदेव विचिंत्यताम् । उपायो येन निर्दोषो नियोगं कुरुते तव

Transliteration

tasmādadya samālokya kaścideva viciṃtyatām | upāyo yena nirdoṣo niyogaṃ kurute tava

Translation

Darum soll noch heute jemand hinschauen und einen Weg ersinnen—damit er schuldlos bleibe und den Auftrag ausführe, der der deine ist.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore, from that reason
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तस्मात्-प्रयोगः), अपादानार्थे/हेतौ (ablatival adverbial use)

• अद्य: today, now
• अद्य: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• समालोक्य: having looked/considered
• समालोक्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-लोक् (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया; धातुः लोक् (to see) उपसर्गः सम्+आ

• कश्चित्: someone, some (person/thing)
• कश्चित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (indefinite pronoun)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• विचिन्त्यताम्: let it be thought over/considered
• विचिन्त्यताम्: Vidhi (Injunction/विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः, कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive imperative), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचन; धातुः चिन्त् (to think) उपसर्गः वि

• उपायः: a means, a plan
• उपायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन (instrumental relative)

• निर्दोषः: faultless, blameless
• निर्दोषः: Karta (Predicate adjective to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying the उपायः)

• नियोगम्: command, appointment, injunction
• नियोगम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• कुरुते: does, makes, carries out
• कुरुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचन

• तव: of you, your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी एकवचन (genitive)

Speaker

Indra (Śatakratu)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A council-like moment: a speaker urges immediate deliberation to find a blameless method to execute a divine commission; gods or sages appear attentive, with a sense of ethical tension.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Brahmā
• Yama (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld not only by punishment but by wise remedies—seeking a path where duty is fulfilled without injustice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is stated in this verse; it prepares for the ensuing resolution within the Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse calls for devising an upāya (solution), not a ritual act.