Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 158

Devanagari script

अज्ञानाद्यदि वा ज्ञानात्त्वं निषिद्धो मया प्रभो । क्षंतव्यं सकलं मेऽद्य वालिकाया विशेषतः

Transliteration

ajñānādyadi vā jñānāttvaṃ niṣiddho mayā prabho | kṣaṃtavyaṃ sakalaṃ me'dya vālikāyā viśeṣataḥ

Translation

„Ob aus Unwissenheit oder gar aus (fehlgeleitetem) Wissen: Wenn ich dich, o Herr, zurückgehalten habe, so vergib mir heute alles — zumal ich nur ein junges Mädchen bin.“

Word by Word

• अज्ञानात्: from ignorance / due to ignorance
• अज्ञानात्: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेतौ (cause)

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

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• ज्ञानात्: from knowledge / knowingly
• ज्ञानात्: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेतौ (cause)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karman? (Object) / Sambodhyam?
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• निषिद्धः: forbidden / prohibited
• निषिद्धः: Karmaṇi-bhāva (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-षिध् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘निषिद्ध’ = निषेधितः

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; कर्तृ-करणे (agent in passive)

• प्रभो: O Lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• क्षन्तव्यम्: should be forgiven
• क्षन्तव्यम्: Vidheyārtha (Predicate; obligation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षम् (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय (ought to be forgiven)

• सकलम्: all / entire
• सकलम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘क्षन्तव्यम्’ इत्यस्य कर्म

• मे: of me / my
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; स्वाम्यर्थे

• अद्य: today / now
• अद्य: Kāla (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• वालिकायाः: of Vālikā
• वालिकायाः: Sambandha (Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वालिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; विशेषण-सम्बन्धे

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Prakāra (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (manner adverb)

Speaker

Kanyā (the maiden/daughter)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sarvapiṭha (as implied by ‘sarvapiṭhasya’ in the immediate context)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A young maiden (Vālikā) stands with folded hands before a radiant Lord at a sacred pīṭha, her face lowered in humility, seeking forgiveness for having restrained him.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Seeking forgiveness (kṣamā-yācñā) is a dharmic act that purifies relationships and one’s intent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is directly mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed; the verse emphasizes moral conduct—apology and forbearance.